Government doctors to boycott work, oppose salary disbursement on basis of biometric attendance

Dhanbad: State government doctors (medical officers) across the state would boycott biometric attendance across the state from tomorrow in protest against the decision of the health department to pay December salaries on the basis of biometric attendance. 

Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organisation of state government doctors announced this. JHSA state president Dr PP Sah and secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said that from Saturday doctors would attend office and make attendance only on manual register till full payment is paid and the biometric attendance system is completely set up at all centers and become snag-free. 

JHSA president and the secretary said that the organisation had given a memorandum to the health department to review the decision but even after 24 hours no response has come. It seems the health department is not serious about the problem being faced by the doctors in biometric attendance. So JHSA has become compelled to take a drastic step said Dr Sah and Dr Singh.

Dr Thakur Mirtunjay Kumar Singh said that it is ironic that chief minister Hemant Soren had directed to pay the December salary of doctors and health staff well before Christmas but till December 30 doctors of the state capital (Ranchi) have not been paid. JHSA is not against biometric attendance but before making it mandatory, the health department should streamline the system across the state. The system has not been restored at all hospitals and health centers.

The doctors posted at remote hospitals face network problems in making attendance. But before reviewing all problems, health department officials made it mandatory and issued an order to pay December salary only on presence in biometric attendance, said Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh.

The JHSA secretary expressed surprise that the organisation (JHSA) had on December 14 requested the health minister to intervene in the matter and stop the joint secretary from implementing the order but no action has been taken in this regard so far. “Same day a memorandum was also submitted to the additional chief secretary (ACS) health in this regard but no step has been initiated to solve the biometric attendance crisis.