Thiruvananthapuram: The state health and family welfare department has issued show-cause notice to 56 doctors who have been on unauthorised absence in various medical colleges and pharmacy colleges in Kerala. In the notice issued by Rajan Khobragade, additional chief secretary, health and family welfare department, the doctors have been directed to report for duty before the ACS at the secretariat within 15 days.

The department has published the notice with names on the official notice board portal of the government and in a national English daily. It says that the service of the doctors, who fail to report for duty within the stipulated time, will be terminated without further notice as per relevant provisions of the Constitution of India, Kerala civil services rules and Kerala service rules.

The notice mentions that the health and medical education services in Kerala stands as a model for the entire country and the unauthorized absence of these doctors is badly affecting the functioning of Medical Colleges and patient care and hence the government feels the action of these doctors as highly irregular and cannot be allowed.

According to the notice, all the doctors have been given enough time to rejoin for duty by the authorities but they defied the directives and are continuing on unauthorized absence. Notice has been served to assistant professors and lecturers of medical and pharmacy colleges. Kozhikode Medical College has reported the highest number of unauthorized absentee doctors, 12. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has nine absentee doctors.

Among departments, the highest number of absentee doctors was reported in General Medicine, 13. General surgery has reported six absentee doctors. The period of absence of one doctor employed as lecturer in Department of Pharmacy, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is 16 years; the longest period of absence on the list. The period of absence ranges from one to seven years for other doctors on the list.

The authorities said that show-cause notice has not been served to such a high number of doctors in recent times. "About a decade ago, such a measure was taken. We have not received any complaints from our members so far regarding the action being taken against them for unauthorised absence. One issue is that unlike other categories, doctors are not given sabbatical in directorate of medical education. Besides there are pay anomalies in entry cadre. There is a general sense of dissatisfaction which may be prompting this level of absence. That said we have severe staff shortage in many departments, PSC recruitment has been pending. Those who are generally interested in academic field carry on with the job irrespective of remuneration," said Dr Rosenara Beegum T, president, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA).

Stakeholders in the field said that doctors go on leave for various reasons either taking up lucrative jobs in private hospitals or going abroad on job or for higher studies. There are others who may have personal reasons related to health or family, they pointed out.

Dr Nirmal Bhaskar, a former office-bearer of KGMCTA, said the government should allow the provision for sabbatical so that the practice of illegal leave can be curbed. '' They can take a break on authorised leave for higher studies or any other purpose. Exposure to advanced practices in foreign countries can be utilized here once they join back for duty,'' he said.