94 Government Doctors Untraced Given Last Opportunity To Join Duty; Majority Posted in Hyderabad

 Hyderabad: The government has agreed to give a second chance to 94 doctors, in the rank of assistant professor and associate professor, who did not join government service following the recruitment orders of 2023. A total of 115 doctors had been recruited in the process. A few of them joined service, worked for six months and left.

Officials could interact with 21 doctors who cited many reasons such as super speciality for staying away. These 21 doctors agreed to rejoin service but 94 were stated to be untraceable. The government then passed orders terminating their recruitment.

However, health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha has asked officials to give them one last opportunity as government hospitals and colleges were insufficiently staffed.

According to the initial termination order, doctors who did not turn up were allotted postings in districts including Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Sangareddy, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Hanamkonda, Rajanna Sircilla, Ramagundam of Peddapalli district, Jangaon, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Asifabad.

Later, according to Dr Narendra Kumar, Director of Medical Education, “A committee headed by the DME (academic) called and interacted with doctors who were on unauthorised absence. Some of them wanted to continue service and postings were given to them. One more chance will be given to those who didn’t turn up.”

With regard to the initial order terminating their service, Dr Kumar said: “By miscommunication, it was circulated.”

In the earlier order, Dr Kumar stated that it was brought to his notice that the faculty members concerned had been on unauthorised absence for more than one year while being posted to various institutions. Showcause notices were issued, giving them 15 days to submit explanations as to why their services should not be terminated.