Bhawanath Pandit| Haldwani46 minutes ago
After studying in Haldwani, when it was time to serve, the doctors disappeared.
The Uttarakhand government educates medical students at concessional fees in government medical colleges to address the shortage of doctors in the hills.
In return, they are required to agree to serve in government hospitals in remote and hilly areas of the state for a few years after completing their degree. However, this very system has now come under scrutiny.
69 bonded doctors who completed their studies from Government Medical College Haldwani have disappeared without complying with the rules.
Many of these doctors are working in private hospitals or have shifted to other states to avoid posting in the hills. This is directly affecting patients in those remote areas where there is already a severe shortage of specialist doctors.
A month ago, Revenue Recovery Certificates (RC) were issued against these doctors. Fearing action, 20 doctors deposited approximately ₹3.5 crore, but 49 doctors have neither come forward nor responded.
Now the medical college administration is preparing to issue legal notices against these doctors.
Children studying at Haldwani Medical College.
What exactly is a government bond, why was this system created?
MBBS and PG studies in government medical colleges are conducted at much lower fees compared to general private medical colleges.
In return, students are required to sign a bond. Under this bond, doctors are mandated to serve in government hospitals in remote and hilly areas of Uttarakhand for 3 to 5 years after completing their studies.
If a doctor does not provide this service, they have to return the prescribed bond amount to the government. The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure that doctors trained with government resources strengthen health services in remote areas of the state.
RC was sent a month ago; now preparing legal notice
On the orders of the Director General of Health, the medical college administration had issued Revenue Recovery Certificates (RC) against these doctors a month ago. These RCs were sent through the DM to the tehsildars of the concerned districts for service.
After the action, 20 doctors deposited the bond amount, and one doctor completed the service, but 49 doctors were not affected by it.
Among these, 45 did not even respond to the notice, while four doctors were not found at their registered addresses. The tehsildars have sent back their notices to the college.
Now, after receiving instructions again from the Director General of Health, legal notices will be issued against such doctors and further legal action will be taken.
File photo of Government Medical College, Haldwani.
Who will treat the patients in the hills?
The shortage of doctors and specialist physicians in the mountainous districts of Uttarakhand has long been a major challenge. In such a situation, if the very doctors who were trained at government expense and subsidized fees break their bonds and turn to private hospitals or other states, the biggest loss has to be borne by the patients in the hills.
Many hospitals in remote areas are already running with limited staff. Due to the unavailability of doctors, patients have to turn to district headquarters or cities like Dehradun-Haldwani even for minor treatments.
In such a situation, the very purpose of the bond system becomes weakened, and the government’s plan to strengthen rural health services gets affected.
What did the Principal say?
Dr. G.S. Titiyal, Principal of Government Medical College Haldwani, stated that following the orders of the Director General of Health, an RC (Recovery Certificate) was issued against the concerned doctors and sent through the District Magistrate.
Now, if instructions are received again from the Director General of Health, legal action will be initiated by sending legal notices to doctors who have not made the recovery despite the RC and those who are missing from their addresses.
