Patna, Nov. 16: The state health department has decided to monitor the attendance of doctors working in primary health centres (PHCs) across the state. This comes close on the heels of a similar diktat issued to doctors in government medical colleges of the state.

The department has threatened to stop the payment of salaries of medics reporting late to work or those who remain absent from duty without prior approval. The department had taken a similar step in the case of hundreds of teachers in medical colleges.

Letters were yesterday sent sent to civil surgeons of all 38 districts of the state, directing them to send attendance sheets of doctors to the health department headquarters on a daily basis after 9.30 in the morning.

The civil surgeons have also been directed to maintain and send similar charts of doctors working in health sub-centres, sub-divisional, district and referral hospitals.

The department has threatened to suspend salaries of doctors, who remain absent from duty without prior information or report late for work.

“The move has been taken after visits to some of the PHCs revealed that doctors are taking their work casually and are not reporting to duty on time or regularly. Our message to the doctors is clear. The state government is committed to providing the best possible service conditions and facilities within available resources, but the doctors have to deliver. Doctors in medical colleges or primary-level hospitals should not take their work casually. If they do so, they will face action,” said a senior official in the department.

He added: “The duty charts will be monitored daily and will be based on review every month. Errant doctors’ salaries will be stopped and showcause notices served on them. Based on their replies, disciplinary action could be taken against them.”

The department has reiterated that the duty roster of doctors should be put up on the information board at every district hospital, referral hospital, sub-divisional hospital, PHC, additional PHC and health sub-centre so that patients and their relatives get to know which doctor is supposed to work at what time.

The civil surgeons have also been directed to ensure that telephones at all PHCs remain functional so that officials from State Health Society, Bihar, can get the details of work and performance of doctors and other employees at each and every hospital everyday.