Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure a uniform and transparent system of leave allocation amongst medical officers working at Government facilities, the State Government has allowed the doctors to avail alternative-off days, if he/she has worked on a notified public holiday.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Shalini Pandit has issued guidelines in this regard to the Directors of Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar & Rourkela Government Hospital, all Chief District Medical & Public Health Officers (CDM & PHOs), Chief Medical Officer of BMC Hospital, Bhubaneswar and Superintendent of all SDHs/ CHCs today.
The Government has been pleased to allow off-days in lieu of notified public holidays to the Odisha Medical & Health Service (OMHS) cadre working at District Headquarter Hospitals (DHHs) and other peripheral health institutions under the administrative control of CDM & PHOs, Shrimati Pandit said.
As per the guidelines, an OMHS Cadre officer, who attended duty on a designated public holiday(s) notified by the State Government will be allowed to avail an equal number of alternative off days in the same month, subject to availability of adequate HR at the health facility.
For smooth functioning of the hospitals and to provide proper health care to the general public of Odisha, the Superintendent or Medical Officer in-charge of the facility will have to make a roster arrangement for that month, to ensure that all working hours are adequately covered.
The Superintendent will decide the number of alternate off-days required in lieu of performing duty on notified holidays while taking into account the availability of HR at the health facility.
In case of inadequate availability of HR in a health facility, the Superintendent / Medical Officer in-charge can reduce the number of alternate off-days allowed to an officer, it said.
However, the reduction in alternate off-days will be done proportionately for all doctors eligible for the same for that month.
In single-doctor medical institutions the superintendent of the CHC will make arrangements to provide off days following the same principle taking into account the presence of AYUSH medical officers and pharmacists.
The Secretary made it clear that the alternate off-days cannot be merged with CL/EL.
The alternate off-days admissible in a month cannot be carried over to the succeeding month, except when the public holiday falls in the last week of a month, she said.
