Health dept cracks whip on attendance

Biometric records to be submitted for September

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has ordered all hospitals in the province to submit biometric attendance records of medical staff. The department has issued an official notification to all district health officers (DHOs) and medical superintendents.

The notification states that biometric attendance records of the hospitals, DHO office and MS office, as well as other administrative staff, must be sent to the health department immediately for the month of September.

It has also been ordered to implement the dress code of employees in all category A, B, C and D hospitals. The independent monitoring unit will also send its verification reports to the department.

It has been instructed to submit the report on WhatsApp through Google sheet on the 5th of every month. DHOs and medical superintendents have been instructed to ensure implementation.

CT Scan Machine

Meanwhile, the only CT scan machine at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) in Abbottabad has been nonfunctional for the past six months without inviting any attention from the quarters concerned.

The CT scan facility is essential for treating patients with strokes, severe injuries, gunshot wounds, and other serious conditions.

Official told The Express Tribune that despite the passage of six months, the machine is yet to be repaired. They said that there is no funding shortage.

"Conflicts between new and old members of the board of governors are increasing problems for patients. Although the hospital has been granted MTI status, these ongoing issues remain unresolved," an official said.

Residents of the Hazara region urged the government to address these problems. They urged timely payments to the health department to resolve disputes within the board of governors.

Additionally, there is a demand for merit-based appointments to the board.