AP Terminates 70 Doctors From Service For Unauthorised Absence From Duty
Andhra Pradesh has terminated 70 government doctors for unauthorised absence of over a year, while 193 more face possible termination.
Andhra Pradesh government has terminated services of 70 doctors for being absent from duty for more than a year without authorisation. Similar action is expected to be taken soon against 193 additional doctors in the state.
The 70 doctors terminated had been with the Directorate of Secondary Health. They had been served notices as per norms of civil service rules seeking an explanation for being absent. The government has finally decided to terminate their services under Rule 20 of the AP Civil Services Rules, 1991.
Those terminated are civil assistant surgeons, including from the gynaecology, ENT, general medicine, and other specialisation courses, according to Secondary Health director K.V.N. Chakradhara Babu.
Health authorities say another 154 doctors working in the directorate too have remained absent from work without authorisation for a long time. They are being served notices to explain why they have been absent. Some doctors, who resumed work, have been retained after initiating disciplinary action against them, like cutting increments to them.
With regard to Directorate of Medical Education, 39 doctors have been given a final chance to report for work, as they have remained absent from duty for more than a year, some of them even two years.
Medical Education director Dr. A. Vishnu Vardhan said these doctors are being given a last chance as per service rules to report for work. If they do not, they would be terminated from service.
Among the 39 doctors, five are professors, four associate professors, and the remaining 30 are assistant professors.
Authorities have found that doctors are not reporting for duty due to reasons like having private practice, not being interested in the place of work, or health, family, and other issues.
Overall, authorities have found 493 doctors being absent from work for long periods without any intimation to their respective offices. They belong to the directorates of Secondary Health, Medical Education and Health, AYUSH and other wings.
Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav has directed heads of departments not to tolerate unauthorised absence of doctors from duty and initiate steps to terminate them from service within three months after following the norms for dismissal.
