CHANDIGARH: The UT health secretary went for a surprise check at Behlana village on Thursday morning and stood for a long while outside its dispensary, which was locked and the staff was not available. However, the vaccine storage at the centre was found unlocked.
After the surprise inspection of the health and wellness centre (HWC), Behlana, health secretary Yashpal Garg sought a written explanation from three staffers of the dispensary—medical officer, nurse and sanitary worker—for coming late.
This was Garg’s second surprise inspection within a week. Earlier, he had carried out a night inspection at all government hospitals, including GMCH-32 and GMSH-16, and flagged various shortcomings.
On Thursday, Garg reached Behlana dispensary at 9.15am, as its opening time is 9am. He was shocked to see that the HWC at the ground floor was locked, but vaccine storage at the first floor was unlocked. No one was there except a patient waiting for the centre to open.
Shortly, an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) reached there. Garg, the patient and the ANM then started waiting for the HWC to open. At 9.30 am, a sanitary worker arrived, looked for the keys and opened the HWC. He informed the UT health secretary that he was coming from Raipur Khurd after meeting an officer there in connection with medicines.
At 9.35am, another sanitary worker reached and clarified that he was coming from the ADM’s office after delivering parcels there.
In the meantime, the ANM phoned the medical officer and requested him to reach the HWC. Another ANM, who was initially stated to be on leave, came at 9.40am, saying someone was indisposed in the family.
At 9.52am, medical officer Dr Hansraj Rahi reached. Another sanitary worker reached at 10.04am. After seeing the UT health secretary, he said he was caught in a traffic jam, but when Garg told him that he was late by over an hour, he said he had health issues.
Ensure punctuality, DHS told
UT health secretary Yashpal Garg has directed the director, health services, to ensure punctuality in offices so that patients do not have to wait. He also directed the DHS to ask for an explanation from medical officer Dr Hansraj Rahi, ANM Jaswir Kaur and sanitary worker Karan so that action could be taken.
