UP Govt Fires Four Doctors For Continued Absence From Duty

In a firm administrative step, the Uttar Pradesh government has dropped four government doctors who were persistently absent from work for long durations without sanction. The action, directed on the instructions of the Deputy Chief Minister and carried out by the Principal Secretary of Health, follows ongoing probes into staff discipline and public service delivery within the state's healthcare facilities.

The doctors whose services have been withdrawn are Dr. Rajkumar, a pediatrician who was deputed at Pilibhit District Hospital; Dr. Vinay Kumar Saini of Jalalabad Community Health Centre in Shahjahanpur; and Dr. Shashi Bhushan Dobhal, posted at Ambedkarnagar to Unnao—both of whom were found missing for an extended period of time without leave. Dr. Avneesh Kumar Singh, a serving Assistant Professor in the Orthopaedics Department at Kannauj Government Medical College, has also been removed for the same reasons.

Additionally, three other doctors are being proceeded against departmentally for negligence and unauthorized absence. Dr. Rakhi Soni, a dental surgeon at the Kishani Community Health Centre in Mainpuri, is being questioned for being absent without sanctioned leave. In Prayagraj, Deputy CMO Dr. Anand Singh, and Dr. Ashok Kumar of the Chhata CHC in Mathura, are being enquired into for suspected negligence while treating a grievously injured patient.

Initial investigations have revealed derelictions in all the three cases, which led to filing of charges and disciplinary proceedings. Again, Dr. D.C. Srivastava, Head, Orthopaedics, a state government medical college, has been summoned to clarify charges of not performing OPD work within scheduled time.

Under parallel infrastructure development, the government has sanctioned the installation of X-ray machines at the 50-bed hospital at Kithore (Meerut) and the 100-bed hospital at Lalganj (Azamgarh). The sum of ₹27 lakh has been sanctioned for each of the two facilities to improve diagnostic services for the local populace.

The recent events point to the renewed interest of the state government in enforcing attendance and accountability levels within the healthcare system, especially in rural and semi-urban hospitals where staffing shortages have traditionally affected service provision.