Odisha Bars Engaging Non-Health Staff For Treatment Of Patients In Govt Hospitals

Bhubaneswar: Government hospitals in Odisha can’t engage non-health workers in treatment of patients, the state government ordered on Thursday.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Pradipta Mohapatra issued the directive in a letter to the authorities of all government medical colleges and hospitals, the directors of Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) and all Chief District Medical & Public Health Officers (CDM&PHOs).

Mohapatra mentioned that a decision to this effect was taken after a recent report in the media that a security guard was engaged to measure the blood pressure of a patient due to non-availability of doctors in Ganjam district.

He said the matter has been inquired into. The inquiry revealed that a doctor was present at the time and he measured the patient’s blood pressure. The security guard had only helped in binding the cuff of the BP instrument.

“As this is not the assignment of the security guard, it sends a wrong and misleading message regarding healthcare services in Odisha. The state government has taken serious note of this incident. Due care should be taken that such incidents are not repeated in any government health facility,” Mohapatra wrote.

He told the authorities concerned to ensure that patients coming to government health facilities are treated and attended to only by the designated healthcare personnel and care should be taken not to engage any non-healthcare personnel in assisting the treating doctors and the paramedics in the process of treatment.