Govt sacked over 50 docs, served notices to 724 found absent from place of posting: UP Dy CM

UP govt sacks 50+ absent doctors, notices to 700+; recruitment of specialist doctors underway; 3.10cr cardholders avail Ayushman Bharat Card; UP govt focuses on providing primary health services in 21,000 sub-centres; e-Sanjeevani App allows patients to talk to specialist doctors.

The Uttar Pradesh government has sacked over 50 doctors and served notices to more than 700 medical practitioners found absent from their place of posting, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has said.

He, however, asserted that the shortage of government doctors in Uttar Pradesh will be over very soon as the recruitment of specialist doctors has already started.

According to official data, against a sanctioned strength of 19,000, Uttar Pradesh has around 12,000 doctors at government facilities across the State. However, there are of complaints that many doctors do not attend duty at the place of posting.

"Over 50 absentee doctors have been sacked and notices served to 724 government doctors found continuously missing from their place of posting," Mr. Pathak, who is also in charge of the Medical Health and Family Welfare Department, told PTI in an interview.

Asked about the shortage of doctors in the state, he said, "For the first time, the Uttar Pradesh government has started recruiting specialist doctors by paying a salary of Rs 5 lakh per month. I am happy to say that a large number of specialist doctors are coming to Uttar Pradesh.''

Enquired about the number of specialist doctors that have been recruited, he replied that 'hundreds of specialist doctors have been recruited" and the shortage of doctors will be over very soon.

Over Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's allegation that the state's health services are in bad shape, the deputy chief minister said, "The Samajwadi Party has been derailed. He (Akhilesh Yadav) does not remember his tenure (as CM). The party is confined only to Twitter and social media."