Vaccination - Basic tips for new medical officers

Vaccination

1. All vhns should lift the vaccine before 8 am as per rule.
2. They should be in the vaccination area from 8 am to 4 pm and come to the phc only after 4 pm.
3. The vaccines should be lifted only on the day of vaccination [Wednesday] and not on the day before as convenient for the vhn
4. The return of vaccine carrier should be on day of vaccination [Wednesday] evening itself only after 4pm
5. Don’t allow the vhns to record the lifting time of vaccines as after 8-30 pm and the returning time as before 4 pm.
6. The vaccine carrier should not be allowed to be taken to the vhns home or be kept in other private places known to the vhn And returned on the day of her convenience
7. The vaccine carrier is a Government property and should be in safe custody
8. Check your ILR .DEEP FREEZER daily on your own and record the temperature in the temp record register.
9. Check Vaccine Stock PERSONALLY Every Thurday
10. Always keep a stock of ARV and ASV

Material Management - Basic tips for new medical officers

Material management

1. Write clearly in the O.P ticket, Drug and Injection tokens.
2. Do not refer any patient without a referral slip duly signed by you. It is better to make a note of the details of the patient in your nominal register including the address.
3. Technically competent persons who can dispense drugs in the phc of course medical officer and Staff nurse pharmacist anm vhns shn H.I. lab asst
4. Hospital worker, CCW, FNA , MNA, S.W. driver do not have legal right and technical competency to Dispense drugs.
5. When the pharmacist is on leave, the local vhn can be deputed for giving either drugs or injection and the anm or staff nurse can do the other work. Hospital worker CCW, FNA , MNA, S.W. driver should not give drugs. It is a criminal offence and the medical officer will alone be held responsible. .
6. Technically competent persons who can dispense injections in the phc of course medical officer and Staff nurse anm vhns only. The pharmacist .hospital worker CCW, FNA , MNA, S.W. driver lab asst do not have legal right and technical competency to Dispense injections. It is a criminal offence and the medical officer will alone be held responsible.
7. When the ANM or STAFF NURSE is on leave then the local area vhn or other vhn can deputed to give injections.and they cannot deny it.
8. Under no compulsion or force shall another person be it a qualified private staff nurse or anm, should be allowed to give injection or drugs in the phc. It is a criminal offence and the medical officer will alone be held responsible
9. In case if only the pharmacist and the medical officer are alone in the phc and there is a need to administer injection then you give the injection and not the pharmacist.
10. If any problem [nerve palsy. Shock. Death ] arises when injections are given by incompetent person including the pharmacist the medical officer will alone be held responsible

Stocks and Registers - Basic tips for new medical officers

Stocks, vaccines and reports

1. Always read the contents or data in reports or letter or vouchers for that matter even a bit of paper before signing in it.
2. By signing a report or letter it is meant that you know about the contents and you have verified them, cross checked them and is bound by law for the data and contents you submit.
3. The report may be prepared by your subordinate but after signing it you are alone responsible for it and you cannot point the fingers on the person who prepared it and escape.
4. It is better to get side initial from the person preparing the report [PHARMACIST H.I. VHN.SHN OR LAB ASST] before you sign it. Then both the person who had prepared report will also have half the responsibility.
5. For Heaven Sake avoid signing in Empty reports
6. Check your main stock especially drugs vaccines and instruments periodically every month and at least every three months. As per rule sub stock should be checked daily. The pharmacist and anm have the responsibility to show the stock when the Medical officer asks them to do so.
7. Check Vaccine Stock Every Thursday. Remember that Vaccines are very difficult to replace. Always Check the expiry date also
8. Do not trust any body in matters of stock and money. You will alone be held responsible for the shortages and you will have to pay Recovery amount if you sign the registers without actual physical verification

Reports - Basic tips for new medical officers

Reports

1. Always read the contents or data in reports or letter or vouchers for that matter even a bit of paper before signing in it.
2. By signing a report or letter it is meant that you know about the contents and you have verified them, cross checked them and is bound by law for the data and contents you submit.
3. The report may be prepared by your subordinate but after signing it you are alone responsible for it and you cannot point the fingers on the person who prepared it and escape.
4. It is better to get side initial from the person preparing the report [PHARMACIST H.I. VHN.SHN OR LAB ASST] before you sign it. Then both the person who had prepared report will also have half the responsibility.
5. For Heaven Sake avoid signing in Empty reports

Man management - Basic tips for new medical officers

Basic tips for new medical officers

Man management

1. The medical officer is the boss of the PHC.
2. He/She is responsible not only to conduct op but also to control his/her staff
3. You have two duties – One Medical and the second Officer. Keep in mind clearly that you have an Officer Duty Also
4. He/She is answerable to the superiors for the acts of his/her staff
5. He/She shall not obey the request/ideas/ORDERS of his/her subordinates.
6. He/She shall issue orders to his/her staff and they (subordinates) shall obey the orders.
7. Even if a medical officer acts by the ADVICE of his/her staff, He/She alone will be held responsible for the outcome of the action and not the Person who gave the advice. Keep in mind that the subordinates will escape
8. Do not have close relationship [friendly or brotherly or sisterly !!! or any other ] with your subordinates. Relationships include Friendly, Brotherly or Sisterly (Hope you know what happened to the அண்ணா அக்கா பாசமலர்கள் in your college in due course) or intimate sexual relationship.
9. You are an officer and they are your subordinates and should obey your instructions. Its so simple and nothing more than that. The more close relation you maintain the more tough it becomes to manage and control them
10. Do not trust your staff completely. Always keep a doubtful eye in them.
11. Even though you are an officer, do not scold or find fault with your staff in front of third persons and especially in the field. Always talk about their mistakes inside the PHC. The Best option is noting that down in the review register along with review minutes
12. Do not talk with a staff of opposite sex without a third person in that room.
13. Do not allow any one to sit in the medical officer room
14. The only time your staff can sit before you is the review meeting
15. Do not entrust your PERSONAL WORK to your staff.
16. Don’t listen to comments by your staff about your co medical officers [even if you have personal hatred against the doctor] The same person who comments about the other person will speak about you in your absence.
17. When you have misunderstanding with your co.med officer, speak directly to him /her and to the best possible effort resolve the issue immediately.
18. Don’t speak about your indifferences to your subordinates, this will work as a dividing method by the staff and Both the doctors will be the end losers
19. If you cannot resolve the dispute among yourselves please contact senor medical officers (not the DDHS !!) or association for intervention. If you are both from the same college, better contact a college senior who is known to both of you.

"Drop move to set up patient welfare societies"

From http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/07/stories/2007010703640500.htm

MADURAI: The Doctors' Association for Social Equality has urged the State Government to abandon its move to create patient welfare societies in primary health centres, saying it would lead to levy of user charges and generate scope for commercialism and corruption.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, general secretary G. R. Ravindranath lauded Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's statement that the primary health centres would not be privatised. But, he pointed to some paragraphs in the Government Order that had mentioned levy of user charges.

The provisions made by the National Rural Health Mission for registered societies were "threatening" and could lead to privatisation of the primary health centres in phases, he said.

Funds allocation

Dr. Ravindranath alleged that the Government was planning to hand over maintenance of the centres to the societies.

"The Rs.30-crore grant from the Central Government should go through the State Governments, and the funds should not be given directly to the primary health centres," he said.

Empowering the societies to appoint medical and paramedical professions on a contract basis, he said, would run counter to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's election manifesto.

Dr. Ravindranath suggested that the Government create a fund and encourage donors to contribute to it, instead of giving money directly to the societies.

Demonstration on 31 Dec 2006 at Thoothukudi

Dr.T.Mohan State Treasurer Addressing the demo


Dr.G.R.Ravindranath GS-DASE Addressing


Dr.Arulraj Addressing


Comrade T.Ramasamy CPI M.L.A Addressing


Dr.P.Durai, President DASE, Nellai [Dt] Addressing.


Comrade S.Rajendran CPI Ex.M.L.A Addressing.


Dr.Arulraj Addressing.


Dr.T.Aram Addressing.


Dr.Pradeep Premkumar Addressing.


Dr.Suresh Addressing.


Dr.Pradeep Premkumar Addressing.

Coverage by Tamil Media of 31 Dec 2006 Demonstration

Coverage by Hindu of 31 Dec 2006 Demonstration

From http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/01/stories/2007010107790300.htm

Government and private doctors attached to the Doctors' Association for Social Equality (DASE) staged a demonstration here on Sunday. The urged the authorities to take action against two health inspectors, who allegedly misbehaved with doctors in separate incidents recently.

The agitators said Thangavel, a health inspector, was said to have talked in a threatening manner to Sreenivasan, medical officer at Pandaranvilai Primary Health Centre (PHC), on the PHC premises. Similarly, Terrance, another health inspector, reportedly used unparliamentary language against a government doctor, Pradeep, during a review meeting held at Pudukottai PHC, recently.

The DASE members asked the authorities concerned to take departmental action against the "erring" health inspectors, at the earliest. About 50 doctors took part in the agitation.

DASE Press Release

What is the demand

Poster for 31 Dec 2006 Demonstration