J-K doc terminated, another suspended in surprise check

One doctor was terminated and another suspended when they were found absent from duty during a surprise visit by state health minister Chaudhary Lal Singh, an official said today.
"Minister for Health Chaudhary Lal Singh yesterday paid a surprise visit to Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Tikri in Udhampur district of Jammu region and found the concerned doctors absent from duty," an official spokesman said.
Taking a serious note of the matter, the minister asked Director, Health Services to place Dr Shivani under suspension while he ordered termination of Dr Shikha, who was appointed under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), he said.

During his visit, the minister also caught officials of the PHC consuming alcohol during duty hours in the office premises, he said.
"Pharmacist Laxmi Dubey and Nursing Orderly Ashok Kumar were arrested by the police after their medical examination while two officials Bupinder Singh, a dental technician, and Rakesh Kumar fled from the spot," he said.
The minister has directed the concerned station house officer of the police to immediately arrest the absconding officials.
The minister also visited PHC Garhi and found 16 staff members, including medicos and paramedics, absent from duty while only one pharmacist was present in the hospital.

The minister directed the Director, Health Services to seek explanation from the absentees, including Block Medical Officer Vijay Basotra, for negligence of duty.