Bengal hospital asks doctors to share live location to verify attendance, faces flak

Soon after this order dated 14.03.2022 circulated, it faced huge backlash from the doctors ultimately leading to the intervention from the State Health Department.

Following this, the hospital has now revoked the controversial order, reports Indian Express.

Issuing a notice on March 14, the Superintendent of Baruipur S.D & S.S Hospital, South 24 Paraganas stated, "As per direction of DDHS(HA) Swasthya Bhavan, all Medical Officers are requested to share their Current WhatsApp Location who are performing OPD Service, on call service, OT service, Emergency service, HDU service, SNCU service etc at the time of their joining in the duty to the following numbers."

One of the three numbers mentioned in the notice was of Dr. Subhranshu Chakraborty, DDHA (HA).

"This order will take immediate effect in the interest of public service," the order further read.

Also Read: Accommodate Ukraine Returnee Medicos in Indian Medical Colleges: Mamata to PM

However, soon afterward, this order started receiving huge backlash from the doctors. In fact, West Bengal Doctors Forum wrote to the Director of Health Services regarding the issue, and the Forum criticized the notice claiming it to be "another diversionary cooked up controversial ploy to deflect public mind from day to day healthcare problems immediate post covid."

The Forum pointed out that there are several administrative and scientific ways and means to ensure timely availability and pressure of staffs and reminded that "At the same time, it is also the responsibility of the employer to ensure adequate and appropriate number of manpower and other necessities in order to facilitate that services can be delivered without fright and fear."

"However, the present scenario is far from the optimal standards. The policies are being implemented with "stick" devoid af appropriate incentives, compensations, living and travelling facilities and with total disregard to humane factors that affect the employees nagatively, acts as mere demotivation.

We condemn such efforts of intrusion into one's privacy (sharing of individuals' WhatsApp location) through means and measures those are strictly beyond public domain and the usage of such softwares depend solely on the individual," mentioned the Forum's letter to the Health Department.

Similar opinion was expressed by Association of Health Service Doctors. Writing to the Director of Health Service, WB Health Department, the association sought to get a copy of the actual directive issued by the Health Department and mentioned, "Had it been a policy decision, though utterly defamatory and derogatory, again if any at all, should have been circulated amongst all other hospitals."

"If the said Superintendent, without any written order from the State Authority, tried to destroy the working atmosphere (already made as Doctors initiated to submit resignation there) for his unknown intension and traumatized the Doctors' sentiment in this way, then why the disciplinary action will not be initiated against him," sought to know the General Secretary of the Association, Prof. Manas Gumta.

Indian Express adds that the State Health Department intervened soon and clarified that no such notice was issued by the Swastha Bhawan. Following this, the hospital revoked the notice.

Speaking to the daily, a senior health department official said, "No such notice was issued by the Swastha Bhawan (department administration). The instructions given by the Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital to the doctors to share their mobile location was their decision. The department has nothing to do with it. The hospital superintendent was even summoned to the Swastha Bhawan for having issued the order, it is learnt."

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Health Administration Dr Subhranshu Chakraborty told the daily, "It is not in my knowledge. I only came to know about it when the matter was brought to Swastha Bhawan's notice. The Sub-Divisional hospital has revoked the notice."

While commenting on the matter, Dr. Punyabrata Goon, associated with West Bengal Doctors Forum, mentioned in his Facebook post, "Medical services do not work on the basis of infrastructure alone but it works on the basis of the determination of the doctors and staff. This kind of orders only helps destruct that determination and will power."

Also Read: Controversy erupts at BJ Medical College as MBBS medicos demand action against HoDs Medicine, ENT