Under pressure from the ongoing doctors’ strike over the IGMC incident, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday directed the Health Department to constitute a new committee to re-examine the matter. He made it clear that while the government will ensure adequate security for doctors and other hospital staff, misbehaviour with patients will not be tolerated.
Presiding over a meeting of the Health Department, the Chief Minister said ethical conduct and respectful behaviour are integral to the medical profession. He instructed officials to introduce mandatory human behaviour and man management courses for doctors to improve patient interaction and uphold professional ethics.
Sukhu said the state government is also contemplating introducing a provision to reflect doctors’ behaviour with patients in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACR). He said such a move would promote accountability and improve the overall functioning of government health institutions.
The Chief Minister also advised doctors to immediately report any incident of misbehaviour by patients or their attendants to senior authorities instead of dealing with such situations on their own.
Referring to staff shortages, Sukhu said the government is filling vacant posts of doctors and paramedical staff to ease workload pressure. He said hundreds of posts have already been filled in the Health Department, and more appointments will be made in the coming time.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the government will not compromise on patient dignity or staff safety and will take all necessary steps to restore normal healthcare services.
