Government slaps show-cause notice on 134 truant specialist doctors

Hyderabad: About 134 specialist doctors working in Area and District Hospitals and CHCs (Community Health Centres) in various districts have been served show-cause notices for unauthorised absence from work for the last several months.

Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) will wait for their written explanations before initiating further action around June 15. Paper notification will be issued afterwards and those who fail to respond would be given termination letters, according to officials.

The absentee doctors belong to different specialities including OBG (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Paediatric, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, Anaesthesia, Radiology etc.

If we look at unauthorised absence from duties from among various hospitals under TVVP across the State, nine doctors have skipped duties in Asifabad District Hospital (upgraded from CHC), eight in Sangareddy, three in Sirpur CHC, four in Utnoor, three in Sircilla District Hospital, six in Bodhan Area Hospital, four in Zaheerabad, six in Tandur, three in Bhongir and another nine doctors have stopped reporting to work in Bhadrachalam Area Hospital.

It may be mentioned here that TVVP, at one go, recruited 919 specialist doctors, all who completed PG medicine in different department, during last July and gave them appointment letters to work in 31 district hospitals, 20 area hospitals and 58 Community Health Centres (20 beds) in various parts of the State.

The number of doctors recruited at that time include Orthopaedic (47), General Surgeons (78), Dermatology ( 20), General Medicine (68), Pulmonology (39), Ophthalmology ( 34), Psychiatric (22), Anaesthesia (156), ENT (17), Pathology (55),OBG (146), Paediatric (150 posts) etc.

Securing a government job had been one of the main targets of youngsters completing higher education in the State, but it does not look the same for present generation medicos due to various reasons.

They reportedly left the job as there are plenty of opportunities in Corporate hospitals for specialist doctors.

Giving the perspective of the specialist doctors and explaining reasons of some of the doctors to leave the job midway, a doctor working in a hospital located in Nalgonda said that the new appointees come with a lot of expectations to serve people but they are unsatisfied at work.

Specialist doctors including General Surgeons, Orthopaedics, Dermatologists are being made to do general work other than their specialities like looking after fever cases, poison cases.

Also, Psychiatrists, Dermatologists, Gynaecologists etc. are made to work in night duties, which is beyond comprehension, the doctor said, suggesting that just MBBS completed doctors should be deputed for casualty doctors.

"This form of working system had to go. But unfortunately, no efforts are being made to change the old system, which is incorrect. Frustrated with the nature of the work, some doctors chose alternative options," the doctor said.

Another factor being highlighted is the salary that a doctor is taking home, which is in the range of Rs 55,000 to 60,000. A specialist doctor is being offered up to Rs 2 lakh for some specialities by Corporate hospitals.

"For all the sacrifices being made, like staying far from near and dear ones, the pay being offered is very less," the doctor stressed. All these compelled some of the newly appointed doctors to leave their government job mid-way, doctors said.