The introduction of a new biometric attendance system in Jharkhand was met with strong opposition on August 11 by government physicians. The Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) jointly called a conference to voice their displeasure with the system, calling it “unrealistic” given the demands for emergency medical care.
The doctors’ main grievance is with the biometric system’s strict scheduling requirements. According to a decree from the state government, general personnel have set duty hours of 10:30 AM to 5 PM and secretariat staff has set duty hours of 10:30 AM to 6 PM. But physicians, who sometimes work in emergency circumstances requiring them to be available around-the-clock, find this rigid schedule unworkable. Doctors cannot work set hours because their employment entails essential and unpredictable events, such emergencies that happen outside of regular hours, as stressed by IMA convenor Dr. Bimlesh Singh.
The main argument for the complaint is that medical emergencies cannot occur under such a system. Implementing set duty hours for doctors, according to Dr. Singh, runs counter to the operational reality of medical practice, where a doctor’s responsibility frequently extends beyond regular working hours, particularly during emergency treatment or important surgery. According to him, the biometric attendance system is unable to handle these erratic demands, which could cause a disruption in vital medical services.
Ajit Singh, a surgeon at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, also emphasized useful problems with the system. He made the point that a surgeon cannot leave a patient in the middle of an operation just because their shift is over. The inflexibility of the biometric system may have a negative effect on surgery and critical care. Singh also brought up the issue of some parts of the state having slow internet, which could make it difficult for physicians to adequately record attendance during crises or special responsibilities. He maintained that the system falls short of accurately representing the irregular and sometimes non-standard working hours of medical practitioners.
Health Director Dr. Birendra Singh responded to the doctors’ worries by saying that the department will work with medical experts to resolve their problems. Given the critical role physicians play in providing emergency treatment, the department intends to consider their opinions and investigate potential changes to the attendance system that could better meet the requirements of medical professionals.
It is anticipated that government doctors will continue to boycott unless the government changes course or explicitly exempts medical personnel from the attendance system, guaranteeing that emergency medical care is not disrupted.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
