2 weeks Ago
Now, civil surgeons and senior medical officers (SMOs) will have to send their leave requests directly to the principal secretary instead of the director of the Punjab health department. This decision is learnt to have been taken after many civil surgeons and SMOs were caught on ‘furlough’. When asked about the rationale behind the move, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh said the decision was taken to improve the health services in the state.
Currently, there are nearly 250 SMOs and 35 civil surgeons-cum-deputy-directors in the state. Earlier, SMOs used to send their leave requests to their respective civil surgeons while civil surgeons used to send their leave requests to the director of the Punjab health department. The orders in this regard, which were issued on April 4 by the director, Punjab health department, said that the decision had been taken after many civil surgeons and SMOs would skip the meetings merely invoking being on leave.
Dr Balbir Singh said that they had discovered during surprise checking of health centres that SMOs or civil surgeons were missing from their duties without taking leave. “It will improve the functioning of the health department and thus improve health services in the state,” said Dr Balbir while talking to HT.” However, the decision to send their leave requests to the principal secretary has not gone down well with the SMOs and civil surgeons, who believe that it would be impossible to take every leave from the principal secretary.
“Leave should be taken from your immediate senior and not from the topmost senior in the department. It will create more hurdles in the functioning of the department. Instead of decentralising power, the government is centralising the same,” said a senior medical officer.
Dr Akhil Sarin, state president, Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, said, “Our association is in talks with the department. The matter has been discussed. We are hopeful that necessary course correction is expected by Monday.
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