Report for work, Minister tells striking doctors Strike enters fifth day
Government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people, says Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar
30/10/2019 , Special CorrespondentCHENNAI , Special
Correspondent, CHENNAI
CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan addressing the doctors on strike at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. B. Jothi Ramalingam
Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on Tuesday urged the striking doctors to return to work immediately. If the strike continues, the government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people.
The Minister said that though the Federation of Government Doctors Association was not recognised by the government, the Health Secretary held talks with its representatives on October 25, assuring them that their demands were under consideration and it was not an appropriate time to strike when the monsoon was active.
Higher pay
He pointed out that the Dynamic Assured Career Progression that guaranteed higher pay and time-bound promotions was implemented only for government doctors. It was unfair to demand and compare it with the pay scale of Central government doctors. They were not allowed to practice in private hospitals or run their own hospitals, whereas government doctors in the State were permitted to take up private practice, he said.
However, the government was considering grant of special pay on the basis of seniority, and for doctors working in tough environment, he added.
On their demand to maintain doctor posts in accordance with the number of patients, he said posts should be created as per Medical Council of India norms. The government was looking into the need to create additional posts.
The Minister clarified that the present practice of posting postgraduates to vacant posts in district and taluk government hospitals on priority basis would continue instead of conducting counselling. He said that the government spent ₹1.24 crore of public tax money to create a doctor.
He gave details of the monthly salary of government doctors: first year – ₹80,247, 8th year – ₹97,900, 15th year – ₹1,22,919, 17th year – ₹1,35,365 and 20th year – ₹1,53,027.
Police protection
On Monday, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh wrote to the Director-General of Police seeking police protection to government hospitals and government medical college hospitals to enable medical officers to render their services to the public without any untoward incident. She also requested a police picket to be posted where necessary.
The Director of Medical Education in a circular directed all deans of medical colleges and heads of institutions not to allow any unauthorised/unorganised ‘pandal’ on the premises and to evict them if they were put up.
They were instructed to lodge complaints with the outpost/nearby police station to prevent any unauthorised gathering or protest against the government.
Outpatient services took a hit in a few government hospitals as doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors Association boycotted work for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.
With many doctors in the cadre of assistant professors taking part in the indefinite strike, chiefs of units and doctors from the non-clinical departments were roped in to run outpatient departments.
After talks with the Minister, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association postponed its plan to go on strike on October 30 and 31.
Government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people, says Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar
30/10/2019 , Special CorrespondentCHENNAI , Special
Correspondent, CHENNAI
CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan addressing the doctors on strike at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. B. Jothi Ramalingam
Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on Tuesday urged the striking doctors to return to work immediately. If the strike continues, the government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people.
The Minister said that though the Federation of Government Doctors Association was not recognised by the government, the Health Secretary held talks with its representatives on October 25, assuring them that their demands were under consideration and it was not an appropriate time to strike when the monsoon was active.
Higher pay
He pointed out that the Dynamic Assured Career Progression that guaranteed higher pay and time-bound promotions was implemented only for government doctors. It was unfair to demand and compare it with the pay scale of Central government doctors. They were not allowed to practice in private hospitals or run their own hospitals, whereas government doctors in the State were permitted to take up private practice, he said.
However, the government was considering grant of special pay on the basis of seniority, and for doctors working in tough environment, he added.
On their demand to maintain doctor posts in accordance with the number of patients, he said posts should be created as per Medical Council of India norms. The government was looking into the need to create additional posts.
The Minister clarified that the present practice of posting postgraduates to vacant posts in district and taluk government hospitals on priority basis would continue instead of conducting counselling. He said that the government spent ₹1.24 crore of public tax money to create a doctor.
He gave details of the monthly salary of government doctors: first year – ₹80,247, 8th year – ₹97,900, 15th year – ₹1,22,919, 17th year – ₹1,35,365 and 20th year – ₹1,53,027.
Police protection
On Monday, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh wrote to the Director-General of Police seeking police protection to government hospitals and government medical college hospitals to enable medical officers to render their services to the public without any untoward incident. She also requested a police picket to be posted where necessary.
The Director of Medical Education in a circular directed all deans of medical colleges and heads of institutions not to allow any unauthorised/unorganised ‘pandal’ on the premises and to evict them if they were put up.
They were instructed to lodge complaints with the outpost/nearby police station to prevent any unauthorised gathering or protest against the government.
Outpatient services took a hit in a few government hospitals as doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors Association boycotted work for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.
With many doctors in the cadre of assistant professors taking part in the indefinite strike, chiefs of units and doctors from the non-clinical departments were roped in to run outpatient departments.
After talks with the Minister, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association postponed its plan to go on strike on October 30 and 31.
No comments:
Post a Comment