The Health Department of Thiruvananthapuram has published the names of 56 doctors who have been on unauthorized absence from various medical college hospitals. These doctors have been issued a show-cause notice and have been asked to appear within 15 days, failing which they will face termination. This decisive action comes after some doctors have been absent from duty since as early as 2008, impacting the functioning of the medical colleges and patient care.
In the notice, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Rajan Khobragade claims that these physicians had disregarded requests to return to work on several occasions. They persisted in their unapproved absence even after the authorities gave them plenty of notice to return to their employment. All doctors’ names, addresses, and leave durations are listed in the show-cause notice that can be found on the Health Department’s website. This letter is a last warning, requiring the physicians to appear before the Additional Chief Secretary within 15 days or risk having their employment at government medical college hospitals terminated.
The notification emphasizes how these absences are bad for the healthcare system. The health and medical education system in Thiruvananthapuram is widely recognized as a national model. But their protracted absence damages this reputation and interferes with medical colleges’ ability to function. The dearth of medical personnel results in a major decline in patient care in particular. Since the doctors’ prolonged absences are seen by the state government as extremely irregular and inappropriate, strict measures are required to guarantee the stability and effectiveness of the healthcare system.
The 56 doctors are from a variety of fields; the department of general medicine has the most absentees (13), followed by the department of general surgery (6). Cardiology (5), Anesthesia (4), Radio Diagnosis (4), Microbiology (3), and Pathology (3) are the other departments having a high rate of absenteeism. The duration of the absences varies from one to seven years. A pharmacy lecturer at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has been missing since July 1, 2008. In order to restore accountability and discipline to the medical profession, a show-cause notice has been issued in response to this prolonged period of absence.
The Additional Chief Secretary, speaking for the state government, stresses the significance of preserving a responsible and orderly staff in the healthcare industry. The state government cannot permit such irregular conduct to continue, according to the show-cause notice. The doctors’ government employment will be terminated if they do not return to duty within 15 days of the notice being published. This unwavering position highlights the government’s dedication to guaranteeing the efficient operation of medical schools and the delivery of high-quality patient care.
An important step in addressing the problem of absenteeism in the medical profession has been taken by the Health Department of Thiruvananthapuram, which issued show-cause warnings to 56 doctors for unapproved absences. The government wants the healthcare system to function more efficiently and with order, therefore it is threatening to fire employees and demand accountability. All medical practitioners are sent a strong message by this action about the significance of carrying out their responsibilities and the repercussions of not doing so. The ultimate objective is to uphold the high standards of the healthcare industry in Thiruvananthapuram and guarantee that patients receive the treatment they are entitled to from a committed and active medical staff.
SOURCE:
TIMES OF INDIA
