It is quite a rare sight to see Government health care staff to turn up for work on time. So Corporation of Chennai has came up with innovative idea to ensure the attendance of staff in Urban primary health centres (UPHCs).
To report staff who come late to work in UPHC's, the Greater Chennai Corporation has now started to use WhatsApp feature. The Zonal health officers and Medical officers across 15 zones should visit at least two hospitals each day between 8 and 8:30am.
Now the staffs are asked to take a group photograph and send the attendance details in the WhatsApp group. Recently the WhatsApp group count has increased to 256. Chennai has 140 UPHCs that function from 8am to 3pm. Each centre treats around 150 patients a day.
A Senior Corporation Official said, "We have formed a WhatsApp group to monitor UPHC's and we already instructed all the officers to visit on time. This will definitely curb absentees. We will be able to track the regular defaulters and prevent tampering of the attendance registers."
