*Hyderabad, September 22, 2024* – In a major move aimed at improving accountability and service quality in government hospitals, Telangana’s Minister for Health, Damodara Rajanarsimha, has mandated the use of biometric attendance for all doctors and staff working in state-run medical facilities. The directive comes as part of the government’s efforts to ensure that healthcare professionals remain on duty during their scheduled hours and provide uninterrupted services to patients.In a meeting with senior health officials, Minister Rajanarsimha emphasized the need for strict monitoring of hospital staff. He instructed authorities to install biometric machines at all hospitals and to equip these areas with CCTV cameras to track in-and-out attendance. This system, he stated, would help curb absenteeism and ensure that medical professionals fulfill their responsibilities.To ensure compliance, the minister also ordered that unannounced inspections be conducted at least twice a month. “Government hospitals are essential for providing healthcare to the masses, and we cannot allow negligence in service. Strict measures, including surprise checks, will be implemented to ensure doctors and staff are present during their duty hours,” Rajanarsimha said.The decision has been met with mixed reactions. While some healthcare workers have expressed concerns over increased scrutiny, patient rights groups and the general public have welcomed the move, seeing it as a step towards improving the efficiency of government hospitals.