102 Delhi Doctors under Vigilance scanner, disallowed foreign travel

New Delhi: 102 government doctors associated with various government hospitals in the capital, now find themselves on the receiving end of Vigilance department's wrath, with the department now putting a travel ban on their personal foreign visits.

A notice issued by Asst Director Vigilance to Health Ministry, and forwarded to all government hospitals ( MD/MS/Deans), the department has asked the concerned authorities to take necessary action against these medical officers, as per the rules and regulations. These include preventing them to embark on any foreign junket or leisure trip for personal reasons . The vigilance letter stated

"In this regard, it is directed to inform that the Directorate provided Vigilance status only against an officer, on the basis of which further action is being taken by the department concerned under relevant rules and regulations. It was requested to provide a list of doctors who are not clear from vigilance angle to be forwarded to all medical superintendent for granting/not granting permission to doctors to go abroad on private visit.

The list, a copy of which is with Medical Dialogues team, consists of 102 doctors, against whom  inquiries are being conducted by various departments. The list, indeed, contains some of senior most doctors at government hospitals, including names a few Medical Superintendents (MS)

Reasons for Probe

Irregularities in purchase appeared to be the dominant issue for vigilance probe.  Some of the varied reasons for vigilance probe include

• Irregularities in purchase of medical equipments as well as consumables


• Tampering of tender process for purchase


•  Theft of medical items from hospitals.


•  Collusion/Irregularities in cases of outsourced services such as security, safai karamcharies etc


• Misusing of official positions leading to loss to exchequer and gain to private parties.


• Unauthorized absence,


• Disobsedience,


• Demanding illegal gratification for issuing Medical fitness Certificate


•  Medical Negligence,


•  Bribery


• Sex determination etc