Government Yet to Fill Posts of 746 Health Employees Who Went to Work Abroad on Leave; Healthcare Sector at Risk

Thiruvananthapuram: The Keralam government has not made even temporary appointments to replace 746 permanent Health Department employees who have taken five-year leave to work abroad. The development comes amid disruptions to services at government hospitals relied upon by ordinary patients due to staff shortages. The failure to fill hundreds of vacant posts is raising concerns about further deterioration in the functioning of the state’s health sector and the impact on healthcare services available to the public.

Government employees may be granted leave for up to five years, subject to conditions, to take up jobs abroad. However, arrangements need to be made to ensure that hospital services are not disrupted when employees go on leave. Failure to address shortages of doctors, nurses and other staff can increase the workload of existing employees and affect patient care.

The previous LDF government had taken strong action against employees who remained absent from service without authorisation. In 2025, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against 601 doctors in the Health Department, of whom 84 were dismissed. Another 51 doctors who had remained absent without authorisation from the Medical Education Department were also removed from service.

The action covered 444 doctors who had not completed their probation and 157 who had completed it. Then Health Minister Veena George had said that failure to act against employees who remained absent without authorisation would obstruct new appointments. The government had also pointed out that retaining long-absent employees on service records would deprive candidates willing to work of employment opportunities.

In 2024, the LDF government had also directed officials to identify health employees who were absent from duty without authorisation and take action against them. The decision involved collecting employee details and initiating legal proceedings.

It is against this backdrop that the latest information about 746 permanent employees working abroad without replacement appointments has emerged. The Health Department needs to clarify how many of those on long-term leave are doctors, nurses and other staff, and which hospitals are affected by the vacancies.

The staff shortage has emerged as a serious concern amid existing problems in the Health Department, including shortages of medicines at government hospitals, medical equipment lying unused and controversy over a change in medication for children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

An inspection conducted by the Health Department in late September found shortages of 28 essential items, including medicines used for diabetes and leptospirosis prevention, as well as cotton and other medical supplies. The government subsequently informed the Assembly that the availability of 26 medicines had been disrupted.

In addition, the Health Department’s own report states that 1,252 medical devices across 215 government hospitals in the state are lying unused, while 222 devices have not even been installed.

Meanwhile, the government has yet to provide a clear response to safety concerns raised by parents over the sudden change in medication prescribed to children with SMA. With medicines in short supply, purchased equipment remaining unused and posts left vacant, the state’s public healthcare system is facing a situation in which multiple essential services are under strain.