TN Health Minister orders Disciplinary Action against Four Doctors of Maduranthakam Government Hospital for unauthorised absenteeism

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has ordered disciplinary action against four doctors of Maduranthakam Government Hospital for unauthorised absenteeism.

Further, the Minister has ordered transfer of the Joint Director of Medical Services of Chengalpattu for failing to monitor the situation and in this regard Minister Subramanian has issued direction to the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services.

These orders were issued by the Health Minister while conducting a surprise inspection at the Government Hospital on Thursday. While the Minister ordered disciplinary action against the doctors, a section of government doctors have claimed that two of the four doctors were not absent from duty but in reality they were deputed to a training programme.

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As per the latest media report by The Hindu, the Minister conducted a surprise inspection at the hospital in Chengalpattu district and interacted with the patients regarding the treatments provided to them. During the inspection, he also visited the Siddha ward, the operation theatre, post-natal ward and the laboratory. It was during the inspection that the Minister found that four doctors were not present "without any prior information". 

Taking note of this, the Minister ordered disciplinary action against them and also ordered the transfer of the Joint Director of Medical Services of Chengalpattu.

On the other hand, a number of doctors including those in the Chengalpattu district opposed this action since they pointed out that two among the four doctors were not absent from duty. Referring to this, a government doctor told the daily, on the condition of anonymity, "Two doctors — an obstetrician and an anaesthetist — were deputed to the LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative) training at the Government Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital. It was a weekly off for the third doctor. The fourth doctor was a newly posted non-service candidate on bond period who received the order and reported at the office of Joint Director of Medical Services on Wednesday. He had taken casual leave on Thursday."

While commenting on the matter, Service Doctors and Postgraduates Association (SDPGA) state secretary Dr Ramalingam told the Times of India, "We found that two doctors were sent for training in standard gynaecology practices, one of them was on court duty and another doctor was on casual leave after informing his chief."

"We are not against department action on erring doctors. But acting without an inquiry will lead to unnecessary apprehensions and lead to low morale among the doctors. The inspection went live on social media pages and videos were circulated to the media by the government," he added.

The doctors have informed that there are altogether eight vacancies at the Government Hospital including six posts of chief civil surgeon and two posts of assistant surgeon (junior doctor cadre). Altogether 14 doctors are working in the hospital.

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