At a time when government hospitals are reeling under staff crunch with both health services and education getting affected, several seats are being wasted owing to absence of doctors. At least 18 doctors have remained absent from their assigned posts at government hospitals for years. Some doctors have been absent for more than 10 years.
A Right to Information query filed by a doctor has revealed that 18 doctors have been found absent from their hospitals for years. However, their names are still recorded with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) that obstruct the appointment of new doctors for the posts.
“Removal of a doctor’s name from the permanent list of employee is a complicated process so the government is ignoring it. But poor people and students are carrying the burden of such negligence. There is a doctor who has been absent for 21 years,” said another doctor.
These vacancies have been recorded not only in rural districts but also in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad and other districts. Of the total 18 doctors, seven of them have been absent for more than 10 years.
The DMER has sent notices to several doctors who have been absent for years from their posts. “We had sent several notices to such doctors who have remained absent for years. Some of them have returned stating the reason for their absence. In other cases, we are planning to take appropriate steps,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, DMER.
Many of them hold posts such assistant professor and other senior posts. “Absence of a professor can affect the educational standards of medical colleges. There should be regular inspection by the DMER to monitor the doctors who remain absent for years,” said the RTI applicant.
As per a survey done by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, an NGO working in the field of health, in more than 40 per cent of public health services, there are vacancies of doctor and other medical experts. “The state government needs to become more vigilant and strict to bridge this gap. At a time when, there is so much crisis, it is essential to check on these ghost doctors who are available on paper,” said Dr Abhijit More from the NGO.
