Rattled by different court cases in connection with healthcare issues, Swasthya Bhaban, state health department headquarters at Salt Lake, has decided to train its officers and clerks on how to deal with legal matters.

Dr Siddhartha Niyogi, director of health services (DHS), has issued an order on 4 May directing officials holding ranks of additional DHS, joint DHS, deputy DHS and assistant DHS to attend an orientation programme, scheduled on 10 May at Auditorium Hall at Swasthya Bhaban.

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“All of the officers placed at different branches/sections under the directorate of health services (HQ) are hereby requested to attend a one day training programme relating to handling of court cases on 10 May at Swasthya Bhaban,” the order stated.

The additional DHS has also issued the same order the same day asking all mainly newly-appointed clerical employees to attend the training programme. The order of Dr Niyogi has raised eyebrows of a section of health officials prompting them to ask, “Why did the health department headed by the chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee decide to organize such an orientation programme on how to handle court cases?”

One of the officials, pleading anonymity, said, “With rising number of cases against the health department, pending in different courts, Swasthya Bhaban is worried about it.” “Our legal cell experts will be there in the programme to train clerical staff mainly dealing assistants on how to prepare files related to legal matters.

The dealing assistants will undergo the training first and then the senior officials,” Dr Niyogi told The Statesman on Saturday. “People, including our department employees, are moving the court on issues ranging from tenders, constructions of hospital buildings, recruitment, pension, transfer, postings and voluntary retirement schemes of employees.

We want all officials and clerical staff to undergo the training so that they can properly handle files. Sometimes, we face troubles in the court when our concerned officials as well as lawyers could not properly answer queries raised during hearings on different legal matters. This happens mainly through mishandling of files,” the DHS added.