HHRC Seeks Separation of Administrative Duties for Specialist Doctors

by The_unmuteenglish

CHANDIGARH, June 4 – The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has directed the state government to relieve specialist doctors of administrative duties, stating that such responsibilities interfere with clinical work and violate their rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

In its order dated May 27, the Commission — led by chairperson Justice (Retd) Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia — noted the urgent need for policy reforms to ensure administrative tasks are assigned to trained personnel rather than healthcare specialists.

“Overburdening medical professionals with bureaucratic tasks hampers their efficiency, compromises patient care, and violates their service rights,” the Commission noted.

The HHRC cited recommendations from the World Health Organization and International Labour Organization supporting the right of healthcare professionals to work in environments that allow them to focus on patient care without administrative distractions.

It stressed that healthcare professionals should operate in roles that use their medical expertise to the fullest. “Administrative duties should be delegated to trained officers, not medical practitioners,” the Commission said, recommending that positions like medical superintendents be filled by individuals specifically trained for non-clinical governance.

Calling for structural reforms in the public health system, the HHRC said separating clinical from administrative responsibilities is key to efficient, specialized, and patient-centric healthcare delivery.

The Commission also urged the state to frame clear policy guidelines in line with Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) and the National Medical Commission.

The additional chief secretary (Health) and the director general (Health Services) have been directed to submit a detailed report within eight weeks.

 

Related Articles