Doctors, staff removed from 7 mohalla clinics for fudging attendance: Delhi health minister

These doctors and staff were deployed at five clinics in Southwest Delhi, one in Northwest Delhi, and one in Shahdara.

“We got complaints that doctors are reaching the clinic late because of which patients are facing problems. At many of these clinics, when we got the attendance records checked, we found that doctors and staff were supposed to remain available from 8 am to 2 pm. However, the doctors were manipulating the attendance system,” the health minister added.

A total of 533 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMCs) are functional in Delhi at present. Each clinic has one doctor for consultation and prescribing medicines and tests to patients. The assistants conduct tests and assist doctors, the pharmacist provides free medicine, and multitasking workers ensure cleanliness and take care of the clinic.

Bharadwaj said the attendance system was investigated thoroughly and it was found that many loopholes were established. Biometric machines acknowledge an individual’s physiological features like fingerprint, Iris scan, or face detection to register attendance, thus eliminating any manipulation via proxy attendance at the workplace.

However, in this case, the minister said photos of the person were used to mark attendance — instead of them showing their face, they were marking attendance through their photos with the help of someone at the clinic. Bharadwaj also said: “Those deployed in our hospitals should work with utmost integrity. If they are not found doing the same, then we will take action against them.”
The issue of irregularity in the attendance of doctors has been a long-standing concern at AAMCs. In 2019, as part of measures to ensure that doctors are not found absent from duty, it was directed that all empaneled staff have to inform the relevant authorities about their leave at least three days in advance, except in case of medical emergencies, to avoid administrative action.