The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) has questioned the Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine for issuing a gag order on government doctors.The DPH had recently issued a circular stating that the employees of the directorate should not criticise the policies, schemes, and actions of the Central or State governments in public, through media, or at public meetings.The association asked in a statement issued whether the DPH had passed the gag order to prevent government doctors from questioning him on social media about Government Order (G.O.) 354, relating to pay and promotions.The G.O., issued in 2009, contains a clause for review in 2012, and thereafter every five years. But it was not reviewed in 2017 and 2022.
In January 2023, an order was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health), appointing the DPH as head of the committee to review the G.O., but it was not done, the association said.The SDPGA sought clarification from the DPH on whether the services of government doctors were regularised on the completion of one year. It said there were delays exceeding five years, forcing women doctors to struggle to obtain maternity leave benefits.
It also flagged the delays in promotions for doctors due to administrative inefficiencies.The association said that when such delays continue to affect doctors, passing gag orders was unacceptable. It urged the Health Minister and Health Secretary to review G.O.
354 and fill all vacant pay band-4 posts on a war footing. Published - October 25, 2026 01:00 am IST