The Ministry of Health has taken administrative action against two doctors for breaching the COVID-19 protocol. The Human Resource Committee of the health ministry has decided to withhold the promotions of the doctors. According to officials from the Health Ministry, a medical officer from Gedu had gone to Phuentshogling to conduct training on COVID-19 Vaccine rollout for health workers in the 2nd week of March. After the training, he had travelled back to Gedu without undergoing the mandatory one week quarantine.
His travel had been facilitated by the Medical Officer of Phuentshogling. This was reported to the Ministry of Health sometime in April. According to the ministry, although the doctors’ actions had been in good faith to not hamper service delivery to the public, the Ministry says it does not condone any breaches of COVID-19 protocols, especially from its health workers. The existing protocol identifies Phuentsholing as a high-risk and Gedu as low-risk areas. Any individual travelling from a higher risk area has to mandatorily undergo the seven-day facility quarantine and get tested for COVID-19 at the place of origin before travelling to a lower-risk area.
The Ministry has also sent notifications to all Health workers across the country to strictly abide by the protocols.
Choni Dema
