Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has decided to dismiss 480 health department employees, including 430 doctors, over unauthorised absence.
The 430 doctors include 53 who have completed probation and 377 who are on probation.
Apart from the doctors, six health inspectors who have been on unauthorised leave, four pharmacists, one filaria inspector, 20 staff nurses, one nursing assistant, three dental hygienists, two lab technicians, three radiographers, two optometrists (grade-II), two hospital attenders (grade-II), three record librarians, one Public Health Nurse tutor, and three clerks are also being dismissed.
The sacked employees had not made use of the two chances to re-join service. The state Minister of Health and Social Welfare K. K. Shailaja has confirmed the government move.
Earlier, 36 doctors of the medical education department were dismissed over unlawful absence.
