Health Minister Veena George has asked doctors to be more humane and kind in their approach to patients. Patients should not be referred to higher centres unnecessarily. The working hours in hospitals should be maintained, she added, while addressing doctors in Health Service during an online interaction.
Ms. George said that employees in Health Service should not stay away from work without permission. Including doctors, 2,000-odd employees in Health Service have been staying away from work without authorisation. This affects public health activities as well as clinical care and hence the government would take strong action against those who were on leave without authorisation, she said.
She directed medical officers, who are public health officers, to implement the Public Health Act and to hold local-level meetings to address health issues.
Infectious diseases prevention and control is a priority activity of the Health department. The department has to function in coordination with other people and departments and hence it was important that everyone worked together, Ms. George said.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade and the Director of Health Services, KJ Reena also took part in the online meeting.
