Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addresses the gathering at GMCH in Guwahati on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Aug. 1: Dispur today announced a crackdown on “errant” medicos, slapping legal notices on 32 doctors for failing to join government hospitals.

Health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the legal notices have been served to 32 post-graduate doctors of three medical colleges, a majority of whom have graduated from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He said the errant doctors have been instructed either to serve patients in public hospitals or pay back a minimum amount of Rs 10 lakh each that the government spent on their education.

“Notices will be served on more doctors in a few days. The state government spends more than Rs 10 lakh to produce a single doctor. The majority of those who pursue medical education and sign a bond with the government to serve the public hospitals and rural areas violate the bond. The government reserves the right to take legal action against the errant doctors as their refusal to serve the public hospitals is deemed as gross misutilisation of public money,” the minister said.

Known as a tough-talking and pro-active minister, Sarma made the announcement at a function to mark the formal start of classes of six super-speciality courses at the GMCH.

He said the government could not afford to spend crores of rupees and produce doctors to serve private hospitals. He said if the doctors do not pay back the amount, the government would file bakijai (loan recovery) cases against them. They could even be sent to jail.

“I am very sorry to say that doctors in Assam have developed a negative image across the region. Recently, I attended a meeting of Northeast health ministers in Imphal where Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh categorically said while the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences produces doctors for society, GMCH produces doctors for private hospitals. I sincerely hope that doctors will introspect and serve patients in government hospitals,” Sarma said.

The GMCH today started classes on super-speciality courses in six departments, including cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, paediatric surgery, plastic surgery, neurology and neuro-surgery.

Indrajit Ray, principal of Medical College, Calcutta, and chairman of PG Medical Education Committee of Medical Council of India who was the chief guest at the function, expressed concern over the attitude and behaviour of the current crop of doctors.