In a gross violation of terms and condition of the bond which they have signed, many Medical Officers (MO) posted in remote areas of the State are abstaining from their duties. These MOs had entered into an agreement with the State Government at the start of their Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree course that they would serve in remote areas for at least a period of five years. The State Government on its part paid them hefty fees for the entire term of the MBBS.
The senior officials of the Medical health department admitted that 37 MOs out of 170 who joined last year are not reporting to their duties for last few months. To bring succour to the people of the remote and hilly areas the State Government devised a plan under which the first year students of MBBS of Government Medical College Haldwani and Vir Chandra Singh Garhwali, Medical College Srinagar were approached. The State Government offered to give Rs 1.25 lakh per year for paying the annual fees of the medical college while the students had to pay only Rs 15,000 per year. A total of 170 students entered into a bond with the State Government in the year 2008.
After passing out from the MBBS course these MO were designated as Bonded Medical Officers and deployed at the remote areas of the State at a monthly salary of Rs 52,000 per month. After completion of five years these doctors would be absorbed as Medical Officers (MO) in the health services of the State.
The department sources revealed that as per the provision of the bond the absconding MOs are liable to pay Rs 30 lakhs for breach of agreement. It is interesting to note that instead of taking a stern against them the State Health department appeared to the dilly dallying on the issue. The Director General of Medical health department Dr GS Joshi told The Pioneer that he was aware that many MOs were absconding but since the matter involved two departments the medical health and medical education, it needed to be discussed before taking any legal action.
An official said that the deterrent action against these absconding doctors should be taken and the Government should recover the amount it spent on their studies otherwise other doctors would also vanish in future. He said that doctors are running away as they are being lured by private hospitals who offer more money and postings at cities.