Ayush doctors cry foul over pay bias

​Hyderabad: About 450 medical officers (AYUSH) who were part of the project of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) were being allegedly discriminated in terms of pay as they were not being treated on par with Medical Officers (MBBS) in the same project. They remain averse for the current proposals being sent to the Centre, as these doctors have been demanding revision of RBSK employees’ pay scales as per recommendations of 10th PRC (Pay Revise Commission). 

According to sources, the project which being run successfully across the State and covered almost half of the children has 40 per cent and 60 per cent stakes of State and Centre respectively. In the beginning the proposal of engaging 300 MBBS and 300 AYSUH doctors as Medical Officers failed to materialise prompting the government to engage about 450 doctors from AYUSH and about 100 from MBBS, while the remaining fell vacant. 

Ever since the project started those with Medical Officers with MBBS degree were receiving Rs 33,000 per month, while who are from AYUSH are receiving Rs 22,000. If their pay scale is revised in accordance with 10th PRC, they would get Rs 40,270 (revised scale slab) and Rs 37,100 respectively. “However, in the proposals which were likely to be sent to Centre were below Rs 30,000 for AYUSH doctors,” said an official source.  

As part of project about 1500 staff including 300 pharmacists, 300 ANMs, 300 employees of DEIC (District Early Intervention Centre) which include physiotherapist, speech therapist, consultants and pediatricians rendering services as part of the Comprehensive Child Health Care. About 30 lakh children across the State were covered since the beginning of the programme. 

They screen a set of health conditions known as 4D’s-diseases, deficiencies, disability and developmental delays. “In the year 2017-18 we have identified and evaluated about 86110 students who require the medical and surgical interventions. We were rendering our services from last three years at tribal hamlets, rural and urban areas with less provided resources,” said Dr Ramesh Babu Boini, president, Telangana RBSK Employees Association. 

Dr Ramesh who has represented the State government on several occasions feels that they were getting very lesser salaries and no annual increment as compared to the other State government employees working with similar designations and qualifications in Health Care Departments. He also pointed out that Supreme Court in its judgment has also ordered respective States to pay equally for employees providing equal services irrespective of regular or contract.