Tirupati: Doctors, nurses not paid salary for 3 months

Tirupati: Nearly 1,000 Covid staff working in various capacities were not getting salaries since their appointment six months ago causing severe inconvenience to them. Authorities were saying that it is a statewide problem and the salaries will be released soon. As the Coronavirus was spreading faster, the government has directed authorities concerned in the districts to recruit doctors, staff nurses, male nursing orderly (MNOs), female nursing orderly (FNOs), stretcher bearers and other para medical staff.

The first batch was recruited six months back while the second batch has completed two months now. But, among them doctors and staff nurses were not being paid their salaries for the last three months while FNOs, MNOs and others could not get any amount for six months. Working 8 hours a day in the Covid wards, they relied on these salaries completely in these troubled times.

Now, they have been in deep anguish and looking desperately for the salaries as it is the only source of income for their families. "We have been waiting month after month with a hope of getting the salaries but ending with only disappointment. We could not pay even our house rents and the house owners have been forcing us to vacate," they said.

The FNOs and MNOs have to assist Covid patients in the wards by wearing PPE kits for eight hours daily. They only go near to the patients and touch them risking their own lives. They need to give medicines, food and other things to the patients and have to take them to undergo diagnostic tests.

Unable to get rid of the work pressure and after being infected with the Covid, some of them have even resigned for their jobs. In Chittoor district, about 950 staffers including 300 doctors were recruited in two spells, said the district Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr M Penchalaiah.

Speaking to The Hans India, he said 700 persons of them were recruited on six months basis while the rest for 12 months. He said they were in constant touch with the higher authorities and expressed hope of releasing their salaries within this week itself.

Meanwhile, the FNOs and MNOs have submitted a memorandum to RMO Dr Harikrishna in Ruia hospital last week seeking the intervention of hospital authorities and the district collector and see that their salaries are released immediately.