Kerala terminates 432 medical personnel from services for unauthorised absence amid pandemic

Health Minister K K Shailaja said that despite being given several opportunities, employees had not shown any inclination to join duty following which it was decided to dismiss them.

Health workers checking on a patient at a second-line treatment centre for Covid-19, in Ernakulam | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has terminated from service 432 medical personnel, including 385 doctors, who were on unauthorised leave for years, Health Minister K K Shailaja saidon Saturday.

Despite being given several opportunities, these employees had not shown any inclination to join duty following which it was decided to dismiss them, the minister said in a press release.

Directions had been issued to the health department to identifysuch staff who have kept away from work for years and take strict disciplinary action against them.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the time that the services of the doctors and otherhealth staff were needed most.

It was due to this reason that the government decided to takestern action against such personnel, she said.

Earlier, 36 doctors, who had not been attending duty, had been dismissed from service.

Besides doctors, 20 nurses and five health inspectors are among those who have been removed from service.