Ministry Seeks Explanation from 23 Absent Health Workers

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Health and Population has sought clarification from 23 health service employees who have been absent from their offices for more than 60 consecutive days without taking approved leave.

Issuing a public notice, the ministry has questioned why these employees, who have been absent without approved leave in accordance with Section 74 (1) (Ja) of the Nepal Health Service Act, 2053, should not be removed from service. According to the notice, if there is no satisfactory reason, they have been warned that they may face departmental action of being removed from service without being deemed ineligible for future health service, as per Section 72 (1) (Kha) of the same act.

The employees facing this action process include those working at Bir Hospital, National Tuberculosis Control Center Bhaktapur, Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital Teku, Kanti Children's Hospital Maharajgunj, and Ayurveda Medical College Nardevi.

Among those absent are 9th-level employees including Radiologist Dr. Amit Rauniyar and Pediatric Surgeon Dr. Mridul Prasad Joshi, various levels of Medical Officers, Nursing Officers, Hospital Nursing Inspectors, Medical Lab Technologists, and Staff Nurses.

The ministry has directed the concerned employees to submit their official explanations within fifteen days of the publication of this notice, and has stated that if explanations are not submitted within that period, legal action will proceed accordingly.