Bangalore:
Government doctors in Karnataka have come together for a common cause. They feel they should be paid more for their work or they would prefer to resign.
Dr Pushpalatha a doctor in Ramanagaram District says, "We are submitting our resignations today. Till October 14th we will work in our places. From October 15th we will do our self-relieving. We will stop working from our places and start our private pratices."
General duty medical doctors are paid Rs 18,500 a month right now. But the doctors are demanding a salary of Rs 35,000. Senior doctors want at least Rs 25,000 more than they are being paid. An increment in salary is not the only demand of the doctors. There are other demands as well.
"One is regularisation of contract doctors, considering the contract period for PG purpose, time bound promotion and the last one is giving incentive to the doctors who are working in rural and academic and administrative alliances - at par with medical education," says Dr. H.K. Shyla Kumar, Treasurer of KGMOA.
Around 3,681 doctors have handed over their letters to the director of the Health and Family Welfare Department. The impact on government hospitals around the state will not be felt immediately since all the doctors will continue to turn up for work until their mid-October deadline. And the government is still hopeful that the chief minister, who wants to meet the doctors early next month, can sort things out.
N Perumal, Principal Health Secretary says, "Any problem, the government is open-minded to listen and take appropriate decision."
Patients in Karnataka can only hope that the dispute is resolved before the deadline given by the agitated medics.
Dr Pushpalatha a doctor in Ramanagaram District says, "We are submitting our resignations today. Till October 14th we will work in our places. From October 15th we will do our self-relieving. We will stop working from our places and start our private pratices."
General duty medical doctors are paid Rs 18,500 a month right now. But the doctors are demanding a salary of Rs 35,000. Senior doctors want at least Rs 25,000 more than they are being paid. An increment in salary is not the only demand of the doctors. There are other demands as well.
"One is regularisation of contract doctors, considering the contract period for PG purpose, time bound promotion and the last one is giving incentive to the doctors who are working in rural and academic and administrative alliances - at par with medical education," says Dr. H.K. Shyla Kumar, Treasurer of KGMOA.
Around 3,681 doctors have handed over their letters to the director of the Health and Family Welfare Department. The impact on government hospitals around the state will not be felt immediately since all the doctors will continue to turn up for work until their mid-October deadline. And the government is still hopeful that the chief minister, who wants to meet the doctors early next month, can sort things out.
N Perumal, Principal Health Secretary says, "Any problem, the government is open-minded to listen and take appropriate decision."
Patients in Karnataka can only hope that the dispute is resolved before the deadline given by the agitated medics.
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