In November 2022, the administration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi had issued a dress code for its staff, including doctors, asking them to avoid wearing casual and party attire while on duty. In mid-Feb 2023, Haryana’s Health and Family Welfare Minister announced that dress code will be mandatory to staff in government health facilities. In Goa, uniforms are worn by most non-medical staff working in private hospitals and polyclinics. Some doctors carry a stethoscope or have one peeping from their pockets and if this is absent it is difficult to know if one is talking to a doctor, staff or visitor. In Goa Medical College, uniforms are worn by nursing and ward staff and most doctors and interns have name tags but not their designations. Under these circumstances it is difficult to identify as to which nurse or doctor attended the patients. Vishwajit Rane, Goa’s Health Minister could decide if a dress code is needed but he could at least mandate staff working in health care centres to have name tag labels and designations. Many embarrassing situations can be avoided.
