The health department has gone for a revamp, creating new posts.

A bill to this effect was passed by the state legislature on Wednesday. In light of the new development, a high-level meeting of the department was held on Thursday in which the health minister, principal secretary, and other officials took part. The aim was to explain the nuances and significance of the new posts created.

The bill passed in the Assembly provides for five posts of director-in-chief, health services, against the one at present. The five new posts include one of special secretary. Similarly, in place of one post of director, health, 21 posts have been created with two special secretary rank officials.

Also, 231 posts of additional directors were created in place of 20 currently functional, which includes four officials of joint secretary rank. Similarly, 1,065 posts of deputy directors have been created (the current strength of deputy directors stands at 97)

Principal secretary, health, Deepak Kumar, said posts were restructured to give doctors more administrative responsibilities. “The government aims to expand the ambit of health services through the creation of new posts. It would also help in supervision and monitoring of the health services in a better way,” said Deepak, adding that the new posts would be filled up soon. He said the directorate would be provided a separate administrative building.

The meeting was also attended by members of Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) and several city doctors who also welcomed the state government’s step of scrapping some provisions of the Medical Service Institution and Personal Protection Bill, 2011.

Three provisions from the 2011 bill have been scrapped, said Dr Ajay Kumar, general secretary, BHSA.

Ajay said: “The 2011 bill stated that in the event of an attack on a doctor, a case would be lodged if and only when three conditions are met. First, the doctor has treated the patient in a rightful manner. Second, the patient or the attendant has behaved in a proper way and third, the case has been referred with proper reason. The doctors were demanding scrapping of all these three provisions for a long time.”

He added: “The medicos were of the view that a case must be lodged against the patient or the attendant found indulging in attack on a doctor. On Wednesday, the state government scrapped all these provisions.”

Doctors and BHSA members also thanked the government for making amendments in the Bihar Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2011, which proposes constitution of a committee by the district magistrate concerned to probe cases of negligence by the doctors in treatment of patients. The committee would comprise specialist doctors and any action against the doctor would be taken only on the basis of the report of the committee.

Health minister Ramdhani Singh hailed the doctors and assured them of protection.