Collector’s orders to district officials to inspect govt hospitals trigger protest

Medical officers, heads of various departments in district headquarters hospital, nurses and hospital staff protested in front of the hospital here on Thursday objecting to district officials questioning them on various issues. They contended that only District Collector or Joint Collector has the authority to Inspect the hospital.
They wanted the district authorities to withdraw the orders issued by Collector C Narayana Reddy directing the district officials to inspect the hospitals. The protesting hospital staff objected to officials visiting hospitals in the name of inspection.
Responding to the protest, the Collector deputed Additional Collector T Purnachandra to visit the hospital and submit him full report.
The Additional Collector visited the hospital and spoke to doctors, professors and other heads of departments and clarified that the district administration has issued orders to inspect the basic amenities in the hospital life sanitation, drinking water, toilets and inform the district authorities but it did not mean to assess the working of doctors, professors and other medical professionals.
Moreover, the district officials were not given any authority to question the doctors. The orders specified that the district officials should only go through the attendance registers of outpatient and special wards. They were prohibited from questioning the doctors regarding their professional matters.
The district officials inspect the hospital and check their attendance register only.
They would check the sanitation in all wards and submit the district administration a report.
They would also inspect the X-ray, ultrasound scanning, CT-scanning, ECG units and enquire how many patients have been benefited by the diagnostic services and find out whether there are any hiccups and submit a report to the Collector.
They would check how many diagnostic tests are conducted in a day. They would never question anyone. They check whether the services are being provided on a first-come first-served basis or not.
The district administration is keen on ensuring that the government hospital extends best medical services to people.
While reviewing the progress of the district headquarters government hospital, in a meeting held on June 21 with medical college principal, DMHO, DCHS, doctors, doctors, professors and heads of medical departments it was decided to depute one district official daily to monitor the activities, besides providing amenities at the hospital, but no doctor or other medical professionals objected to the arrangement at the meeting.