UP:48 Dentist transfers cancelled, 14 health staff suspended over alleged violation of transfer policy

Lucknow: Nearly a month after over 100 doctors in Uttar Pradesh had filed applications to rectify their transfer orders which were issued by the health department because of certain anomalies, CM Yogi Adityanath cancelled the transfer of 48 doctors who are dentists which were carried out by the state health department going against the state's transfer policy. 

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the applications filed by the doctors to rectify their transfer order issued by the health department because of various anomalies. Some of the anomalies found in the transfer include transfer with two years left for retirement, transfer in violation of couple posting and transfer within one year of previous transfer. 

The CM has reportedly taken action against the officials who were responsible for issuing the orders which violated the current transfer policy of the state government. After the CM got to know about it and the probe reports revealed the anomalies, he cancelled the transfer orders, reports The New Indian Express. 

Also Read:UP: Deputy CM seeks explanation over the transfer of 20 Doctors from 3 Govt Hospitals

The government has suspended 14 lower staff in the health department in connection with the case and a probe has been ordered against the then director general of health, Dr V.B. Singh, director, paramedical, Dr Nirupama Singh, and five joint directors. They have been issued with show-cause notices, reports the Deccan Herald. An official said if replies to the show cause notices are not given on time, then further action would be taken. 

Four officials from the health department were suspended earlier this week for allegedly violating the transfer rules in the orders issued by the department. In the transfer list of 313 level-1 medical officers, the names of 48 doctors of levels 2, 3, and Ayush were allegedly added which went against the transfer policy of the government. 

The order from the office of special secretary (health) Mannan Akhtar stated, "Of the 313 transfers done in the level two category, 48 were erroneous. The error was notified by the state health directorate via a letter on July 16. Thus, the 48 transfers have been cancelled." Some of the anomalies found in the orders include transfer with two years left for retirement, transfer in violation of couple posting and transfer within one year of previous transfer. 

A probe under Chief Secretary DS Mishra was held after the transferred doctors began protesting. The probe report revealed the anomalies based on which the transfer order of 48 doctors figuring on the list of 313 level 1 doctors was cancelled. The probe revealed that these transfers were done at the level of the Medical and Health directorate which goes against the transfer rule according to which the doctors of levels 2 and 3 should be transferred by the state administration only. 

Further, a departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Additional Director (personnel), Dr Anurag Bhargava who retired recently. Further, there is a possibility of more transfer orders being cancelled. Following the probe report released by the committee headed by the Chief Secretary, four officials including Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, additional director of medical and health services (para-medicals), Dr Ashok Kumar Pandey, additional director, medical and health services (health/administration), Dr Arvind Kumar Verma, joint director (paramedical) and Mohammad Ismail, administrative officer in the health department were suspended, reports TNIE. 

The doctors and other medical staff have been protesting against the transfer orders issued by the health department since the first week of July alleging them to be violating the state transfer policy. The Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak had sought a reply from the additional chief secretary, medical health, Amit Mohan Prasad on this issue. In addition to that, the health directorate conducted an inquiry into the transfer. 

The ACS had allegedly released all transfer orders without consulting Pathak when the latter had gone to the BJP national executive meet in Telangana. Following that, Pathak wrote a letter to the CM stating that the transfers made by the department were against the transfer policy and were irregular. He stated that a number of specialist doctors were transferred and no appointment has taken place for their replacement in the state capital. The UP chapter of the Indian Medical Association had objected to the transfers of senior doctors. 

Also Read:UP: Over 100 Doctors file rectification applications due to anomalies in transfer orders