KOCHI: Have you faced hassles at government hospitals, like a malfunctioning device or unavailability of doctors, but did not know whom to approach with a complaint?
Worry not. The health department will soon publish the official contact numbers of health officials on the Directorate of Health Service (DHS) website, to let people call the authorities concerned to air grievances.
The move aims at resolving the lack of accessibility of officials, a long-pending issue. As per the plan, people can also raise their queries regarding various diseases or the services offered at a government hospital.
“Accessibility is an issue people are talking about. We intend to make the system more accessible to them,” said Health Minister Veena George. She said government hospitals in the state already have public relations officers and superintendents who are authorised to share information.
“Also, district medical officers and DHS officials can share details in matters related to public health. They will be given an official number which the public can call. We already have around 1,000 official contact numbers,” Veena said. Anyone with a complaint or query about the facility and services at the hospital can contact the officials.
“Also, information regarding hospitals, availability of doctors, services, initiatives, and the like can also be collected from the officials,” she said, adding that the telephone connections in government hospitals will be restored. “I keep receiving complaints that telephones in hospitals are not working. We will check the telephone systems in hospitals and rectify any issues,” she said.
Though the contact numbers of DHS officials are published online, official contact details of the hospital’s public relations officer, medical superintendent, and others are not available to the public.