Kerala Human Rights panel directs Health Dept to decide on Govt doctor's leave, unpaid salary
Kochi: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the Health Department to decide within one month on the long-pending leave application of a government doctor and take immediate steps to release his unpaid salary and other service benefits due since October 2024.
The direction was issued by Commission member V Geetha to the Director of Health Services and the District Medical Officer, Ernakulam, following a complaint from a senior consultant at Ernakulam General Hospital.
The doctor, who has nearly three decades of government service, had approached the Commission after his leave request remained unresolved and his salary was withheld. He had sought leave citing health-related reasons.
During the proceedings, the Director of Health Services informed the Commission that the doctor had been on leave since joining Ernakulam General Hospital. His leave application was subsequently referred to a medical board for assessment.
The department submitted that the doctor’s salary could not be released while the medical board’s decision was pending. The doctor, however, told the Commission that the delay had also affected his access to healthcare benefits under the state government’s Medi-Sep health insurance scheme, as the required contribution had not been remitted, reports The Hindu.
The Commission was informed that the doctor had subsequently appeared before the medical board after being directed to do so by the Superintendent of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Taking note of this development, the Commission observed that the issue that had prevented further processing of the leave application had now been addressed. It therefore directed the authorities to take a decision on the leave request within a month.
The Commission has also called for prompt action on the salary and other benefits that have remained pending since October 2024.
The authorities have been asked to complete the process within the stipulated period. The Commission further stated that the complainant would be entitled to approach it again if the directions are not acted upon.
