Covering face, posing as patient: How officials inspected UP health center

Firozabad, UP:

An IAS officer, wearing a hijab, posed as a patient and conducted a check-up at a government medical center in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The official said she decided to conduct the inspection after receiving several complaints about the inconvenience faced by patients in the area.

Kriti Raj, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of the district, said: “I received complaints about the Dida Mai health center that doctors were not present even after 10 am to administer vaccinations to people bitten by dogs.”

#watch | Uttar Pradesh: Divisional Magistrate Sardar Kriti Raj inspected a government medical center in Firozabad after receiving several complaints about inconvenience faced by patients.

(Source: SDM Office) pic.twitter.com/UZamZhpvxJ

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 13, 2024

Raj said she made a doctor’s appointment and after speaking with the doctor, she found his behavior to be unprofessional.

“I went there anonymously wearing a veil. I sought an appointment and spoke to the doctor. The doctor’s behavior was inappropriate,” she said.

Pointing out the discrepancy in the attendance of health center staff, the SDM said: “When I checked their attendance register, I noticed that some of them were absent. Some of them had signatures in the register but did not appear at the health center center.” “

“Also, when we checked their medicines, we found that about half of them had expired,” she added.

Cleanliness and proper hygiene were also not maintained at the health center, the SDM said.

She noted the poor quality of service at the health center, “even the injections were not administered correctly. The staff were not motivated to serve the people.”

Regarding the steps that will be taken against the health center officials in her office, Raj said, “We have taken note of all these and we will investigate”, adding that a report will be sent to them.

Live video shows SDM Kriti Raj wearing a hijab standing in the hospital with other patients. She was also seen checking and sorting stocked medicines in the hospital pharmacy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)