Assam: Unauthorized Absence of Doctors, Healthcare Crisis in the State

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Unauthorized absence of doctors in the existing medical colleges and hospitals in Assam still continues, and this issue has adversely affected the Healthcare delivery system.

The erring doctors — majority of whom are holding the posts of registrars and assistant professors – have been remaining absent from their duties for a long time in the Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh, Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Jorhat Medical College & Hospital, Tezpur Medical College & Hospital and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College & Hospital, Barpeta. Some associate professors, professors and heads of departments at the medical colleges are also in the list of unauthorized absence.

The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has also recorded unauthorized absence of some doctors from the departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, TB & Chest, Neurology, Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology and Pediatrics.

Some doctors from Surgery, Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Nephrology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Endocrinology, TB and Chest, Pediatrics, Pediatrics Surgery, Orthopedics, ENT and CTVS are remaining absent from their duties at the Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh without any official intimation to the appropriate authorities.

More or less similar is the situation at the Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital at Barpeta, Tezpur Medical College and Hospital and Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.

"In 2019, the Health department sent lists of such doctors to the Principals of six medical colleges & hospitals for taking necessary and corrective measures. But the Principals are still in a fix to take necessary actions as many of doctors (remaining absent for long time) have applied for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS).

Among those who applied for the VRS include some of the heads of the departments of the medical colleges including the GMCH. The Principals cannot accept and reject the applications for the VRS," said a source in the Health department.

On the other hand, the Health department has also not considered many of the VRS applications of many doctors on various grounds including the legal angle.

"The Supreme Court has already ruled that government doctors' right to voluntary retirement is not absolute and can be curtailed in public interest. In 2018, the apex Court allowed an appeal filed by the Uttar Pradesh government against a High Court order directing it to relieve four doctors who had sought voluntary retirement," pointed out the source.

Allowing the Uttar Pradesh government's appeal, the Supreme Court said, "In view of the scarcity of doctors and the unfortunate privatisation and commercialisation of the noble medical profession, for maintaining the efficiency of the State Medical Services, the decision taken by the Government (denying permission to retire) is permissible as per rules and cannot be interfered with."

But the bottom line is that patients are suffering due to the unauthorized absence of doctors in the State government hospitals.

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