Bengaluru: The ministry of health and family welfare on Thursday decided to terminate the services of 2733 employees, including 804 doctors and 1304 nurses for remaining absent for more than 120 days.
Speaking with media persons here on Thursday, Minister for Health and Family Welfare K R Ramesh Kumar said the government has decided to terminate those employees who remain absent for more than 120 days. “Some of the employees, including doctors, were absent for many months. The health and family welfare department used to issue notices directing them to join duty but in vain. Some of the paramedical staffs also failed to resume duty even after many months. We do not want to give them more time to join duty. From today onwards, they are no more with the health and family welfare department,” Minister Ramesh Kumar said.
The minister said the health and family welfare department would take all measures to fill up the vacancies at primary health centres and taluk hospitals. “We have already recruited doctors and other staffs. We are confident of filling up all vacancies by next month,” the minister said.
He said the government order (GO) has been issued to fill up the posts against the vacancies of general duty doctors at primary health centres in rural areas by any graduate doctor in the field of medicine on contract basis. “The government has issued an order to give honorarium to the locally available doctor who are willing to serve and they are considered on call on basis to overcome the shortage of doctors. If necessary, direct telemedicine facility will be provided from the Government Super Specialty Hospital to all primary health centres, community health centres and taluk hospitals in the state,” he said.
He said the government has decided to commence post-graduate diploma courses at government medical colleges from the next academic year. “There are 11 Government Medical Colleges in the state. The PG diploma courses, based on the requirement, will be offered from next academic year. Priority will be given for those students who are willing to work in rural areas after completing the PG diploma courses,” he said.
Lamenting over the lack of interest for doctors to serve in rural areas, the minister said the Karnataka Public Service Commission has called for interview for 1401 doctors posts and it had issued appointment orders to 1,222 doctors but only 590 of them reported to duty. “It indicates that doctors are not interested to serve in rural areas,’’ he said.
