Govt issues warning to seekers in govt hospitals

DIRECTIONS ISSUED TO ALL CIVIL SURGEONS IN THE STATE ASKING THEM TO ISSUE STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF

KARNAL: Thestategovernmenthas issued instructions for strict action against the staff of government hospitals if they are found demanding ‘badhai’ from the patients after delivery.

The director of National Health Mission (NHM) has issued directions to all civil surgeons in the state asking them to issue strict instructions to all the staff including outsourced, class IV, security guard and sweepers of the government hospitals not to take any kind of money in name of Badhai from the patients coming to government hospitals for delivery care services.

The directions were issued a day after Hindustan Times reported an incident of a staff nurse at Sonepat Civil Hospital kept a newborn girl away from her mother for two hours when she was allegedly denied the Badhai (congratulatory tip),

Whereas in the letter, HT has a copy, the director has admitted that health staff was “forcibly” taking Badhai from the patients after the delivery at government hospitals and the amount of badhai ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 10000.

Such staff members defeating the purpose of Zeor out of pocket expenditure for delivery care services under the Janani Shishu Surasha Karyakram and patients loose the faith in government health system.

They were also told to install hoardings and banners in the hospitals to aware people against this wrong practice and send back the photos of the same to the director office.

The director even, warned that strict action will be taken against any employee found accepting badhai.

Hindustan Times on Thursday reported the illegal practice of asking for the tip in Haryana hospitals as on August 31, the mother, Sangeeta Singh, 31, alleged that Seema Devi, a nurse at civil hospital in Sonepat, demanded the tip and refused to hand over the baby but relented when the family stood its ground.