The health and medical education department (H&MED) has reconstituted a departmental committee for examining cases of doctors who are on unauthorised absence or study leave for a long time.
The department recently sacked 65 doctors over unauthorised absence for a “long time” and has prepared a fresh list of 55 medicos who are also likely to be shown the door.
The three-member committee to be headed by director finance H&MED has been tasked to establish if all required conditions were fulfilled before deciding whether a medico’s absence was unauthorised.
The committee will also scrutinise documentary evidence if concerned departments had furnished specific proposals or recommendations regarding cases of absentee medicos.
The order, issued by newly appointed principal secretary H&MED Atal Dullo, asked the committee to examine cases of doctors or any other officials related to unauthorised absence, over stay on deputation and study leave cases to make specific recommendations.
The committee is also expected to take cognisance of difficulties faced by general public due to authorised absence of doctors and paramedical staff while making recommendations in such cases.
“It will also examine the intent of recommending permission to undergo higher studies by any doctor/para medical prior to formal approval of study leave by competent authority and a categorical undertaking by such a doctor for not claiming such a particular study leave later on, if so rejected by the competent authority,” the order reads.
The committee has also been asked to examine “all repercussion” in allowing doctors to join after unauthorised absence and to discourage such practices by doctors who are “habitual”.