Doctors to be tracked like livestock, RFID scheme proposed in AP

Simply put, this means attaching RFID tags to doctors to identify and track their movements upto a certain distance. Radio-frequency identification uses electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags linked to it. The proposed tags will contain electronically-stored information which will be under the department's 50-mile radar reports ThenewIndianExpress.

“We initiated the biometric system to regulate and monitor attendance, but somehow many are managing to flout rules,  forcing us to consider a live monitoring system. It can either be GPRS or RFID, we are likely to choose RFID as it is foolproof and not hackable,” a senior Health Department official said. “RFID devices work within a 50-mile radius. We are still having discussions with department officials regarding the implementation of RFID," said, DMHO Chittoor M Vijaya Gowri told the daily.

The Objection

The move even though at the proposal stage has managed to rile the government medical practitioners, who have been expressed their strong disapproval to the RFID tags, comparing their use to that of tracking livestock, a place where RFID tags are used in abundance today.

" Are we animals to be tracked this way?"  said AP Government Doctors  Association secretary K Apparao." We object to the proposal. Officials should rather focus on improving the amenities and facilities available in government hospitals.

The department had earlier introduced RFID tags for newborn babies to ensure that they are not kidnapped. However, the move was discontinued for unknown reasons.