Odisha to act against 128 doctors absent from duty for over 5 years: CM Majhi
According to the chief minister’s office, medical officers and dental surgeons posted in government hospitals across were found absent from service without authorisation for prolonged periods
Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday directed the health and family welfare department to initiate disciplinary proceedings against 128 government doctors who have remained unauthorisedly absent from duty for more than five years.
Majhi also ordered the dismissal of Dr Bichakshana Panigrahi, former Medical Officer at Kandhamal Police Hospital, from government service
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According to the chief minister’s office, medical officers and dental surgeons posted in government hospitals across the state were found absent from service without authorisation for prolonged periods, adversely affecting healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Majhi also ordered the dismissal of Dr Bichakshana Panigrahi, former Medical Officer at Kandhamal Police Hospital, from government service. Officials said similar cases of long-term absenteeism are being examined, and further action may be taken following verification of service records.
He reiterated that doctors employed by the government must remain posted at their assigned locations and ensure the delivery of healthcare services, particularly in underserved regions where access to medical care remains limited.
The action comes at a time when Odisha continues to grapple with a shortage of doctors in its public health system. In September last year, health and family welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling informed the Assembly that the state had not met the World Health Organization’s recommended doctor-population ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people.
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According to Mahaling, Odisha currently has one doctor for every 1,735 people. He said 4,880 Medical Officer posts remain vacant across government hospitals against 15,774 sanctioned positions, leaving the state short of nearly 4,900 doctors.
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According to Mahaling, Odisha currently has one doctor for every 1,735 people. He said 4,880 Medical Officer posts remain vacant across government hospitals against 15,774 sanctioned positions, leaving the state short of nearly 4,900 doctors.
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.
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