Absconding docs crippling public health services,says minister

Shetty said,“The general administration department issued a recruitment ad for 450 doctors. We issued appointment letters but they did not report to work. “As a result,the government has to reprocess recruitment which takes six months.”

Not satisfied,Shiv Sena and BJP demanded to know what follow-up action was taken to streamline the public sector.

Senior BJP MLA Sushir Mungantiwar said,“What action was taken against doctors not reporting to work? Did the government dismiss them? Was the matter reported to police?” Has the government found out why they were reluctant?”

Shetty said sustained efforts to fill vacancies in rural hospitals were adversely affected as doctors did not report to work for years after taking appointment letters. The matter created furore in the Assembly as Opposition members demanded to know what the government was doing to set things right in the health sector. Shetty said,“In the last three years,the government has recruited 3,000 medical persons.” He admitted salaries were a major constraint that dissuaded doctors and said the government was planning to moot a hike in the next cabinet meeting.

Leader of opposition in the Assembly Eknath Khadse said,“There are 10,000 vacancies in the public health department. What has the government done to overcome the staff crunch?

“How can you leave patients to die?