Hundreds of PG doctors abscond from mandatory government duty in Tamil Nadu

Hundreds of PG doctors abscond from mandatory government duty in Tamil Nadu

In health institutions under the DME&R alone, there are 316 absconding doctors, said health secretary Supriya Sahu.

Thinakaran Rajamani

Updated on:

30 Oct 2024, 9:57 am

TENKASI: Even as scores of students in Tamil Nadu fight the discernible exclusiveness of NEET, hundreds of others who were fortunate enough to reap education benefits and take the Hippocratic Oath continue to abscond from government service without any fear of action.

Under the Right to Information Act, TNIE obtained a list of 144 absconding doctors from 21 public health institutions under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME&R) in the last four years. Most institutions under the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) refused even to provide that information. In health institutions under the DME&R alone, there are 316 absconding doctors, said health secretary Supriya Sahu.

Activists said strong action must be taken against hundreds of such PG doctors, who left government service to join the private sector after availing of 50% reservation in PG seats, 30% incentive marks in PG NEET, and three years of education leave with a hefty government salary. These doctors had signed a security bond with the state, promising to remain in government service until retirement, which they have now violated. Though action must have been initiated within weeks of them absenting themselves from work, a few of them have been served with show-cause notices only now, they said.

Take the case of Dr Tamilarasan, MD, who has been on unauthorised absence from Shengottai GH since March 3, 2022. He works at a hospital owned by his family member. Despite an inquiry, no step has been taken to recover his bond money.

Health secy says action taken against 40 doctors

When contacted, Tamilarasan told TNIE that he was ready to pay the bond amount. “I agree that we promised to serve the government until superannuation. However, I could not continue my service due to various reasons, including forceful deputation to other stations.

The government should tone down the rules prepared decades ago for service PGs,” he added.Dr Nagajothi, who worked in Tenkasi GHQH until March 4, 2024, absconded and started a scan centre right in front of the GHQH. Health officials said they had issued a charge memo against her, but she did not respond to TNIE’s attempt to reach her.

Health activist C Anandaraj urged the state to form a team led by an IAS officer to recover the bond amount from absconding doctors and initiate legal action, including cancellation of registration. “Doctors who completed diploma availing all benefits must pay around Rs 10 lakh, while those who completed PG courses need to pay up to Rs 40 lakh,” he said.

“The health department has initiated steps to recover the bond amount from absconding doctors under the Revenue Recovery Act. Doctors across the state have begun to receive show cause notices. The number of government doctors should be increased from around 20,550 to 30,500,” he said.

Health Secretary Supriya Sahu said, “We are taking this very seriously. My circular, issued to department directors within weeks of joining, clearly sets the tone for the action to come. Around 40 cases of absconding doctors are in various stages of action.”

Meanwhile, Dr Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said his directorate had dismissed 508 doctors of DME&R, DMS, and DPH for various acts of misdemeanour, including absconding from government duty, and initiated action against another 457.

Violation of bond

These doctors had signed a security bond, promising to remain in government service until retirement, which they have now violated