Bhubaneswar: In a crackdown on errant doctors the Odisha government is contemplating action against those who have gone on extended leaves for a substantial amount of time. Giving this information Monday in the state Assembly, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling also said that over 5,000 doctors’ posts in state-run hospitals are lying vacant. The government will try to fill them up as quickly as possible. While replying to a question by BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, Mahaling informed that at present 196 doctors from various cadres including Odisha Medical Health Service (OMHS), Odisha Medical Education Service (OMES) and Odisha Homeopathic Medical Service (OHMS) are on leave for a prolonged period. “Action against these doctors will be taken as per government provisions. Patients cannot suffer for their prolonged leaves and their absence,” Mahaling said.
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Meanwhile replying to a query by Salipur MLA Prasanta Behera, the minister informed that more than 5,000 posts for doctors are lying vacant in community health centres (CHCs) across Odisha. “A total of 5,014 doctor posts of the sanctioned strength of 7,806 at 375 CHCs in all 30 districts of Odisha are lying vacant now,” said the Minister. Mahaling said that the highest number of 450 doctor posts of the sanctioned strength of 581 at 28 CHCs in Ganjam district is lying vacant. As per the data revealed by the minister, a total of 1,114 specialist doctors’ posts of the sanctioned strength of 1,500 at all 375 CHCs in the state are lying vacant.
According to the Minister, 338 radiographer posts of the 655 sanctioned strength in the state are lying vacant as of January 1 this year. The Odisha government is taking steps to fill up the vacant posts of doctors and specialist doctors through the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), informed the minister in the House.
