Jamshedpur: Doctors, paramedical staff and all other employees at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital (MGMMCH) will now have to mandatorily wear their uniforms on hospital premises while on duty from this week.The move, hospital management said, is aimed to ensure that they can be easily identified by patients and their attendants. Notably, thousands of patients visit the govt-run hospital every day.“The directorate of medical education on Aug 20 instructed all on-administrative medical personnel to mandatorily follow the prescribed dress code. Accordingly, orders have been issued to all heads of departments (HoDs) on Sunday to ensure that doctors and paramedical staff wear their uniforms to wor ,” Dr. Sanjay Kumar, MGMMCH principal, said.“The system will be implemented in the outpatient department (OPD), wards and the medical college’s academic campus,” he said.Ward officials said patients and their attendants often face difficulty identifying doctors and other medical staff during hours of high footfall. Doctors will have to keep their aprons on during duty hours.“Disciplinary action will be taken against ound not wearing the prescribed professional attire while on duty,” Kumar said.Hospital sources said dress codes had been in force in the past as well, but the rules were not effectively implemented. The move comes amid concerns over discipline and staff availability at the hospital.On the night of Aug 17, a 12-year-old boy died of cerebral malaria in the PICU, with allegations that the absence of a doctor on duty contributed to the delay in medical attention. The incident prompted the state directorate of medical education to issue fresh directives.“Generally, doctors are in their uniform but sometimes there’s a problem in identifying the doctor when the doctor is without an apron particularly when there’s a crowd in the ward. It is good that the dress code for employees has been implemented,” said Mango resident and social worker Mukhtar Alam, who frequents the hospital with the patients to see the doctor.
