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UP health facilities to have signboards in Urdu also
The directive came after a complaint by Unnao resident Mohd Haroon, who maintained that many govt deps were skipping Urdu on signages despite it being the second official language of the state
LUCKNOW The UP government has directed that all government health facilities across the state will have signboards and nameplates written in Urdu also.
The directive came after a complaint by Unnao resident Mohd Haroon, who maintained that many government departments were skipping Urdu on signages despite it being the second official language of the state.
All the chief medical officers have been advised to ensure compliance of the order issued to all hospitals, primary and community health centres to carry information on signboards in Urdu also.
“It’s not a fresh government order. The order already existed. Urdu is the second official language of the state. It’s a fresh directive following a complaint by an Unnao citizen who must have noticed some nameplate/s at a PHC or a government public office in Unnao without Urdu and pointed it out. Already, for years, most government offices follow the Hindi-Urdu norm for nameplates and such things,” said a senior state government officer in Lucknow.
Maulana Yasoob Abbas, a cleric, said it was a welcome step. “It will benefit all, particularly those who can read and understand only Urdu. Language should not be linked to any religion.”
UP has over 830 CHCs and about 3,000 PHCs apart from 157 district level hospitals. Over 12,000 doctors work in government hospitals in the state and give consultancy to patients in OPD chambers.
“We have forwarded the directives to heads/superintendents of health facilities in the district. They will check the languages used on signboards and nameplates on their hospital/health facility campuses,” said Dr Manoj Agrawal, chief medical officer, Lucknow.
