Kolkata, Oct 23 (PTI) The West Bengal government will end extended Puja holidays for staff at state-run hospitals from next year and introduce a duty roster to ensure round-the-clock healthcare services, Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay said on Friday.
Mukhopadhyay said an unwritten rule has continued since Independence, with the festive break beginning on Sasthi, the sixth day of Durga Puja, and extending until Lakshmi Puja.
“The health department is not like other departments. It is an emergency department. People have to be provided services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But since Independence, there has been an unwritten rule in the state of the festive mood setting in at offices from Sasthi, with the holidays continuing until Lakshmi Puja. This practice will end from next year,” he said.
He said hospitals would introduce a duty roster for staff from Saptami to Dashami during Durga Puja next year.
Employees who had taken leave for the current festive period had been directed to cancel it and report for duty, he said.
“From next year, there will be a Puja duty roster for everyone in hospitals from Saptami to Dashami. Those who are on leave have been directed to cancel their leave and join work from today,” Mukhopadhyay said.
Doctors and nurses would not be assigned a fixed roster but would have to remain available at hospitals as required, he said, adding that staff would not be allowed to take leave in advance for the festival.
The announcement followed reports of doctors and other officials remaining absent from hospitals during the festive period, with allegations that some had taken leave without permission.
Mukhopadhyay subsequently met health department officials on Friday and expressed displeasure over the reported absences.
“This is a shameful matter. Government employees are employees of the people. The services are run on taxpayers’ money. The health department is an emergency department. We do not have any festivals. We have to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
Incidentally, after the Chorbagan stampede incident, medical teams comprising specialist doctors were deployed at major Durga Puja pandals across the metropolis as a precautionary measure. PTI SCH MNB
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