Jorhat, Aug. 12: Dipsur has reinstated the doctor under National Health Mission (NHM) Assam whose contract was terminated over a month ago after he failed to abide by the state order and join duty at Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goswami sub-divisional civil hospital at Garmur in Majuli island in Jorhat district.

Majuli is represented in the Assembly by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The contract of Subhrajyoti Das, a specialist surgeon, was terminated on June 26 for non-compliance with the health department’s order. Das was earlier posted at Teok first referral unit hospital in Jorhat.

The decision by the government to re-induct Das into NHM service came after he submitted an apology letter to the state for not following the health department’s directive that transferred him to the Majuli government hospital on June 13. 
In response to Das’s letter, an order recently issued by NHM managing director P. Ashok Babu stated “seen and perused your apology letter”.

Considering his apology and willingness to join duty at Garmur SDCH, Das has been reinstated as a specialist surgeon under NHM with effect from the date of his joining duty. However, the letter warned the doctor “not to repeat such mistake in future”.

Health department sources said another reason for considering Das’s apology and reinducting him was that the state has a considerable shortage of doctors and Majuli is a top priority with Sonowal representing the constituency.
Joint director of health services (Jorhat) Dr Amrit Saikia told The Telegraph today that Das had joined duty a few days ago and had carried out several surgeries.

The government had also suspended three other doctors from service on June 25 for not joining duty in the Majuli hospital after being transferred. The three doctors are Ajit Borah (sub-divisional medical and health officer), a medicine specialist who was transferred from Nakachari Model Hospital in the district, Achit Baruah (senior medical and health officer), a gynaecologist, and Tridip Buragohain (medical health officer), an anaesthesiologist. 

These three doctors too had submitted apology letters to the government for their non-compliance with transfer orders and expressed their willingness to serve in Majui hospital. However, the government has till date not issued any order in this regard. 

After suspending the three doctors from service, Dispur had barred them from carrying out private practice and directed private nursing homes and pharmacies not to engage them. On June 27, the government also published advertisements in several newspapers in this regard. The advertisements appealed to all government doctors, nurses, paramedics and staff posted across Assam to follow the government directives and dedicate themselves fully to the service of the needy with “sincerity and renewed vigour”.