Bhubaneswar: In a bold move, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered stringent action against doctors who have remained absent from duty for prolonged periods, directing Health Department to initiate disciplinary proceedings against 128 Medical Officers and Dental Surgeons across the state.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, doctors have been absent from service for more than five years without authorisation, affecting healthcare delivery and patient services in various government hospitals. Notices and public advertisements had earlier been issued in newspapers seeking information about their whereabouts and directing them to report for duty. Despite these efforts, many failed to respond, prompting the government to initiate disciplinary action.
In a separate decision, Chief Minister has dismissed former Medical Officer Dr. Bicakshana Panigrahi of Kandhamal Police Hospital from government service. Dr. Panigrahi had reportedly remained absent from duty without authorisation since 2012. Although the department repeatedly issued notices seeking an explanation for the prolonged absence and instructed the officer to rejoin service, the directives were not complied with. Citing continued neglect of professional responsibilities and patient care, the government decided to terminate the officer’s service.
Chief Minister emphasised that the state government is making significant investments to strengthen healthcare infrastructure by opening new hospitals, modernising existing facilities and establishing new medical colleges to expand medical education and healthcare access.
However, he expressed concern that despite being appointed to government service, some doctors fail to join duty or remain absent for extended periods. Such conduct, he said, undermines healthcare services and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The action is part of the state government’s broader effort to ensure accountability in the healthcare sector and improve the availability of medical services for citizens across Odisha.
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