The five-member monitoring committee formed under the Ministry of Health is reported to have started surprise checks in government hospitals since last Friday. The purpose of the checks is said to be to verify patients’ complaints against doctors and hospital services and take ‘strict action against those found absent from their duty.’ The ministry is reported to be working to form another committee to monitor regional hospitals. In view of complaints from patients about government doctors sending patients to private hospitals or nursing homes for checkups and medical tests, the ministry has said it will take action also against such doctors. This measure, the ministry says, is expected to ensure prompt service to all citizens.

It is too early to comment on the outcome of the present measure. Efforts to bring some order and efficiency to government hospitals are long overdue. Surprise checks and monitoring were also conducted in the past, but the government hosptials saw no improvement in the efficiency and quality of their services. The health ministry and the health department exist to ensure that better health services are provided to the people. The people are not concerned about the formation of committees or details about what is being done, they want to feel a change and want value for the money they pay in tax. Countless commissions and committees formed in the past have failed to achieve their objectives.

Most patients, if they could, would like to avoid consulting a doctor in a government hospital, though they would not hesitate to consult the same doctor at his or private clinic. This is mainly because most doctors do not devote enough time to their patients in hospital. Conflict of interest has led to other malpractices, too. For many doctors, government hospitals have become a launching pad for a brisk private practice. A number of them have tended to recommend patients to private clinics or laboratories for checkups and tests. Some of the senior doctors even leave part of their duty to junior doctors. Besides, hospital management is a crucial problem area. When Bir Hospital, the country’s premier hospital, cannot have its CT scan machine repaired for eight months and its X-ray machine for one month, the lack of responsibility cannot be put at the door of the doctors alone, though it is possible that some doctors have a vested interest in seeing that services do not improve considerably in government hospitals. The problems, therefore, need comprehensive solutions, taking into account all important aspects of hospital management, including genuine complaints of medical and non-medical staff. Surprise checks can be only one of the measures and have to be backed up with effective follow-up action.