Missing from duty: More than 250 doctors to get UP govt show cause notices

The Health Department has recently issued a show-cause notice to the doctors. In case the doctors fail to furnish a reply to the notice, they will be dismissed from services and the posts will then be declared vacant.

Lucknow: A whooping 280 doctors who joined Provincial Medical Health Services (PMHS) and were posted in various districts of Uttar Pradesh, are going to issued a show-cause notice by the state Health Department after it was found that these medical practitioners were 'missing' from duty.

Confirmation to this effect has been given by Devesh Chaturvedi, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare. These missing doctors were posted in various community health centres, primary health centres, and district hospitals across the stte after joining PMHS.

However, among these, only a handful of them joined duty at the government hospitals while others did not turn up after receiving their appointment letter.

Many doctors leave the government service to move to the private sector in search of greener pastures, better salaries, better work environment. To encourage the doctors to work at PMHS, the government had initiated various measures. Last year the Government had proposed to benefit the doctors by doubling their salaries.

Also Read: Double salaries likely for many PHC, CHC doctors in Uttar Pradesh

As per Provincial Medical Services Association (PMSA) President, Dr Sachin Vaishya the association had sought the state government to improve working including facilities like increased salary, housing and the security and working conditions to encourage the doctors to join the services.

However, 280 doctors who had joined government services had reportedly gone missing from duty without any intimation or resignation. The concern was revealed after an inspection was conducted by Chaturvedi, who found 36 doctors posted in the district were missing for many months. Thereafter, the Health Department directed the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to submit a report in this regard. The report stated the absence of 280 doctors from duty.

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Irked by this, the Health Department has recently issued a show-cause notice to the doctors. In case the doctors fail to furnish a reply to the notice, they will be dismissed from services and the posts will then be declared vacant.  HT reports that after this, the health department will commence the process for recruitment of doctors in their place.