DGHS DG summoned for not recruiting prison doctors

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday summoned the director general (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for not complying with its directive over the recruitment of 48 doctors to the vacant posts in the prisons of the country.

The court asked him to appear before it on 24 January for an explanation.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order following a writ petition filed by advocate JR Khan Robin.

JR Khan Robin said, on 23 June 2019, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to submit a list of the capacity of prisons, the number of prisoners and doctors and the vacancies of doctors in all prisons across the country.

The jail authorities reported to the court in November 2019 that there were only 10 doctors against 141 posts in 68 prisons. After seeing the report, the HC ordered the recruitment of doctors in the prisons.

On 21 September 2021, it was reported to the court that 112 doctors were appointed in 68 prisons in the country against a total of 141 vacant posts.

Then the HC ordered the speedy appointment of doctors in the remaining vacant posts. But health authorities did not take any initiative in this regard.

Following an appeal, the court upheld the previous order on 15 November last year and ordered the Inspector General of Prisons and the Secretary to the Security Services Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs to submit a report on it.

Later, the inspector general of prisons submitted a report on 13 December.

According to the report, 68 prisons and a prison hospital in the country have a total number of 141 posts of doctors at various levels. It was reported that 93 doctors were appointed against 141 posts.

Later, the court ordered the recruitment of doctors to the remaining 38 vacant posts by 7 January.