In view of the proposed 3-day casual leave stir by the Nagaland In-Service Doctors Association (NIDA), Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J Alam on Saturday in an office memorandum stated that instructions have been issued to the principal director, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents for not sanctioning any leave to any government medical officer or health care professionals with reference to the agitation called by Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) from April 18 to the 20th.
The Chief Secretary further directed government medical doctors not to communicate with members of the press in matters not connected with discharge of official duty.
Doctors violating the directions would be liable to disciplinary action in addition to deduction of pay for the unauthorized absence on the principle of ‘no work no pay’, the office memorandum issued by the chief secretary read.
In order to mitigate the likely impact of any such unauthorized absence of doctors, and ensure that health services are not disrupted for the citizens, it said measures would be activated at various levels.
A state- level control room with dedicated helpline would be set up for coordination and real time monitoring of the situation in the state. At the district-level, a district-level control room would be set up for coordination and real time monitoring of the situation in respective districts. The control room would also provide guidance to any individual needing access to healthcare facilities during the period. A district-level helpline will be set up and given wide publicity through media, hospitals, etc.
The attendance would be monitored closely by the CMO and DC, while all available contractual/temporary medical and Ayush doctors or any other healthcare professional in various facilities in the district would be deployed to fill the gap due to anticipated unauthorized absences, to ensure that all routine and essential services including OPD, IPD, emergency services are not impacted.
It said the deputy commissioner would review the supplies of medical consumable, drugs, etc. at each of the government facilities in the district and communicate any exigencies to the state control room for quick replenishment. It added that the DC would ensure sufficient security deployment along with executive magistrates at health facilities to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of affairs.
DC Mokokchung directs CMO, MS IMDH
Meanwhile, regarding the mass casual leave called by NIDA, the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Shashank Pratap Singh, has directed the Chief Medical Officer, Mokokchung and the Medical Superintendent of IMDH, Mokokchung to recall to duty all doctors (Contractual/NHM) on leave.
He also directed that no leave shall be granted to any medical staff including nurses, medical assistants, lab technicians, ambulance drivers under their respective establishments in the district during the NIDA stir on April 18 – 20. CMO and MS IMDH were also directed to intimate the action taken report to the DC.