The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) has registered its objection for implementing a facial recognition-based attendance system for government doctors with the Chief Secretary.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the SDPGA’s general secretary A. Ramalingam questioned the need to implement such an attendance system for doctors working in the Directorates of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and Medical and Rural Health Services. Doctors working in the Directorate of Medical Education had to mark biometric attendance due to the National Medical Commission norms.
The association said that according to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), 30,000 doctors were needed for the existing patient load and bed strength in government hospitals but as of now, there were only 20,000 sanctioned posts. Of these, around 4,000 posts were vacant. Due to the shortage, doctors were overburdened and compelled to do 24-hour duty as well.
Opposing such enforcement on qualified professionals, the SDPGA demanded that biometric attendance be implemented for government doctors only after the severe manpower shortages were addressed.
Published - October 07, 2024 09:40 pm IST
