Need to make absent doctors aware of rules: Bihar minister

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Wednesday said there was a need to make doctors, who are absent from their duties amid coronavirus crisis, aware of the rules.The minister said that healthcare personnel are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and these doctors need to understand the current situation.According to Bihar's Health Department, the State Health Society has sought action against 362 doctors in 37 districts who were absent from their duty in hospitals in the critical time of fight against coronavirus.

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Wednesday said there was a need to make doctors, who are absent from their duties amid coronavirus crisis, aware of the rules.

The minister said that healthcare personnel are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and these doctors need to understand the current situation.

"We are fighting an invisible enemy in the form of coronavirus. The whole world is fighting against this invisible enemy. Doctors and paramedical staffs are our warriors in this fight. We are supporting them from behind. Bihar government decided to give one-month extra salary to all doctors and medical staff," Pandey told .

"We have the utmost respect for our warriors in this pandemic. We talked to them and it was felt that there was a need to make them aware of the rules, hence we took this decision. This is not right that some doctors are absent from their duty in this situation. They have to understand the situation. They have been informed by the department," he added.

According to Bihar's Health Department, the State Health Society has sought action against 362 doctors in 37 districts who were absent from their duty in hospitals in the critical time of fight against coronavirus.

"After timely monitoring of health officers presence in the hospital by the State Health Society, it was found that except Katihar, 362 doctors in 37 districts were absent from their duty following which the State Health Society has sought action against all the health officers under Disaster Management Act 2005 and Epidemic Disease Act 1897 for their negligence," the department said in a statement.

( With inputs from ANI )