E-Paper
Transfer of doctors: Now, senior docs under scanner for providing incorrect data
Notices have been sent to 29 doctors working on administrative posts seeking an explanation for the discrepancy in the data provided to the health department for the transfers of the doctors
Over two-dozen senior doctors on administrative posts have come under the scanner for anomalies in the transfer of doctors across the state.
After many doctors raised a hue and cry over their transfers, which they alleged violated state policy, the health department sent notices to several senior doctors working in administrative posts regarding the errors in the data.
In all 29 doctors working on administrative posts, including chief medical officer (CMO), additional director, and chief medical superintendent of hospitals in various districts, have been served notices seeking explanations for the anomalies in data of transferred doctors.
“Replies have started coming in, and we are waiting for all of them to respond,” said Dr Lilly Singh, director general of medical health. The D-G health office is compiling the responses received so far.
Transfers were to be done for doctors having spent over 3-years in one district and 7-years in one division. While the transfers of level-one doctors are done by the health directorate, those on level-two and above are done by the secretariat. A discrepancy in the data collected about doctors’ current postings and time spent in the respective district or division led to a controversy, wherein many doctors were transferred in violation of the policy issued by the state government on June 15.
“Till now, the majority of the replies have similar language stating mistake in judging eligibility of transfer. Some of the replies have stated typo errors too,” said a senior health official.
Doctors across the state were transferred in June month and the final list came on June 30. Transfers became an issue in the state in the first week of July when over 300 individual applications reached the health directorate stating they were transferred in violation of transfer policy.
Provincial Medical Services Association (PMSA), the body of government doctors, submitted a representation to deputy CM and health minister Brajesh Pathak stating that many doctors had been transferred despite having less than two years of service left, while in a few cases couples, working in the same district, have been transferred to different places.
Apart from these notices, a list of 89 ministerial staff has also been made in connection with the anomalies in the transfers. The departmental heads in different sections such as ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and TB have been asked to identify staff that handled transfer files. The letter has been sent by the director (administration) to different section heads.
Meanwhile, the clerical staff staged a demonstration at the health directorate on Monday, claiming they were being targeted for no fault.
Till now, transfers of 48 doctors have been revoked as officials found errors in their transfer orders.
