Bhubaneswar, April 11: Thirty-nine government medical officers have gone missing after completing their higher studies from state-run medical colleges. The state government has no clue about their whereabouts and all efforts to trace them have proved futile in the last one-and-a-half year.

Of the 39 missing doctors, nine were working at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, two at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur and four at VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla.

The rest were given appointment at various medical facilities across the state after they passed out from the government medical colleges.

In a notification the state government said: "The 39 doctors absentee medical officers after completion of their post-graduation and other higher degrees have either not joined or deserted their places of duty unauthorisedly and wilfully for a long period. Attempts have been made to ascertain their address to communicate with them but their whereabouts could not be known as they have not intimated their present address either to their immediate authorities or to the Director of Health Service."

Director of health service K.C. Das said: "According to a government order, doctors after completion of studies and undergoing training at medical colleges have to serve government health-care facilities for three years. During their studies, the medical students sign a bond with the state government to this effect. As they have failed to report to the government, we have issued show-cause notices to them and asked them to report within 15 days explaining therein as to why the bond amount shall not be recovered from them."

To draw the attention of the doctors, the state government had issued advertisements in local vernacular newspapers. Joint secretary, health department, Surajit Das said: "We are not able to make any fresh appointments against the 39 doctors. If they fail to report within 15 days, government will retrench them and new appointments will be made."

An official of the Odisha Medical Service Association said: "Once their complete their studies, the doctors get offers from private medical hospitals in the metros and are not interested to serve in remote areas of the state. To make the profession more attractive, it should be made more lucrative."

A senior official of the health department said: "We are helpless."

He added that the department was not in a position to take legal action against them. Sources said a few of them left for foreign countries in search of greener pastures.