PESHAWAR: The health department has decided not to initiate any action on complaints lodged by unnamed individuals against its employees.

       The health department has made it binding upon the complainants to submit their grievances against officials on oath.

       The people charging the employees of the department will have to face the music as per law in case of their failure to prove the allegations and the ones presenting facts will be rewarded, says a notification issued by the health secretariat here on Monday.

       It says that objections by unnamed people or by fake names will not be entertained as these waste precious time and stationery of the department.

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       The notification has asked all district health officers, medical superintendents and other administrative officers to comply with the directives prior to proceedings on the complaints lodged against the employees of the department.

       Notification directs complainants to submit their grievances on oath

       The instructions aren’t being followed in line with the ESTA Code (Revised Edition) 2011 and anonymous and pseudonymous accusations are being received, which are found baseless and result in loss of time of the functionaries in addition to stationery used during the course of inquiries. These resources can be usefully applied to serve public interest, it adds.

       The notification says that accuser against a civil servant will furnish an affidavit, stating that all facts contained in his application against any employee are true. It says that such accusations are often found false. “The complainant will face legal action if the accusations are found false. There will be no action on allegations filed by anonymous people,” it adds.

       The notification also acknowledges that there may be exceptional cases wherein anonymous and pseudonymous communications contain allegations of a specific nature backed by some facts. Such complaints will be probed after the approval of the health secretary, it adds.

       It says that anonymous petitions or letters should normally be filed except when definite allegations are made and concrete instances are given. The applications filed by unnamed people will stand ignored, it adds.

       The notification says that antecedents and credentials of a complaint should be verified before an inquiry is initiated against the officials concerned. It says that appreciation should be accorded to the individuals, who raise accurate complaints with concrete proof in bringing forward a legitimate and valid concern.

       It says that the movers of genuine concerns will be given awards in recognition of their efforts to pinpoint issues and pave way for creation of a positive and open environment.

       According to official sources, the instructions are meant to save unnecessary burden of inquiries on the officers so that they can focus their attention on their duty in the health sector. They add that district health officers, directors and medical superintendents are pre-occupied with inquiries that adversely affect the plan about patient care in district headquarters hospitals.

       Most of the investigations have been started on complaints of petty nature. In many cases the district health officers, medical superintendents and other relevant officers involved in the inquiries have to visit courts. Most senior officers have conducted host of inquiries and the order is meant to save the time consumed by such probes.

       Officials say that some health employees, against whom inquiries are under way, stay suspended but they draw their salaries regularly. They add that such employees don’t perform their duty despite the fact they visit regularly their places of duty.

       Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023