Stipends: It’s a raw deal for TS AYUSH house surgeons

Hyderabad: They are going-to-be doctors, but, treated as second-rate citizens within the medical fraternity for being practitioners under the category of Alternate medicine, called AYUSH.

‘Gross discrimination is meted out to them vis-a-vis their counterparts and studying modern medicine (allopathy).

The status of students pursuing AYUSH in Telangana turned worse vis-a-vis their counterparts in neighbouring AP’.

According to sources, the issue of enhancement of stipends for house surgeons of AYUSH institutions in Telangana has been highlighted several times for the past several years. However, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears so far. Take for example, the State government issued GO 177 on October 6, 2023, that house surgeons of AYUSH institutions in Telangana to give stipend of Rs. 13,754. Contrary to this, their counterparts in modern medicine draw a higher stipend, besides, even AYUSH students in AP, falling under the Health, Medical, and Family Welfare department of the State draw a stipend of Rs. 22,527, as per GO 39 of March 12, 2024.

Though the AYUSH house surgeons in Telangana work as hard as their counterparts, discrimination has a demoralising effect on them. Speaking to The Hans India, an AYUSH doctor from Gandhi Nature Cure Hospital said AYUSH is getting a lot of traction from people for multiple reasons. The lack sufficient AYUSH hospitals puts more workload on AYUSH doctors. However, when it comes to emoluments the AYUSH students are not treated on par with their counterparts. These concerns were not addressed by the earlier government.

"We hope the current government would come to rescue of AYUSH students," he added.