DGHS moves fully online for transfer and posting applications

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has started implementing a fully online system for the transfer and posting of its officials, as the manual process was severely disrupting its activities.

"No manual or handwritten transfer or posting applications have been accepted since Sunday, significantly reducing the crowd at our office," said AB Abu Hanif, director (administration) of the DGHS, while speaking to The Daily Star today.

The authority began implementing the system after the health agency made the decision on May 15 and issued a circular two days later.

The decision was taken "for the smooth operation of healthcare activities in all healthcare institutions under DGHS as well as to bring dynamism, transparency, and accountability to the activities of its administration branch," reads the circular.

It said only online applications for transfer or posting of all officers of the 6th grade (excluding junior consultants and assistant professors) and 9th grade medical officers under the DGHS will be accepted.

These applications must be forwarded online through the proper authority and reach the relevant branch of the DGHS through the online system, it reads.

"No manual or handwritten transfer or posting applications will be accepted after May 18 ," the statement read.

It also said that applications for reconsideration, regarding transfers or posting orders will only be acceptable after joining the transferred or posted position.

If there are only factual administrative complications in the transfer or posting order, instructions are given to contact the relevant branch of the DGHS before joining, the statement added.

"Otherwise, officers are discouraged from loitering around the Directorate General of Health Services without a valid reason," reads the circular.

Hanif said the DGHS had introduced the online application system a long time ago, but there were still instances of manual applications being submitted.

"As the number of such cases increased significantly after the political changeover, many were coming to the office with printed copies of their online applications, seriously disrupting our activities," he said.

He added that although many people, unaware of the circular, are still coming to the DGHS, the number has dropped by half.

"Besides, we are not accepting any manual applications," he said.

In response to a question, Hanif explained that the transfer and posting of junior consultants and assistant professors are directly handled by the health ministry, but their applications are forwarded through the DGHS.

"This is a routine task for the DGHS and does not affect our regular activities. The process will continue as usual," he added.

He further said that other staff members under the DGHS currently have to submit manual applications for transfer and posting, but the authority is working to introduce a similar online system for them "as quickly as possible."