Contractual doctors under NHM demand regularisation & hike in salary

ITANAGAR: The contractual doctors under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Arunachal Pradesh have urged the State government and the Health department to regularize the presently serving contractual doctors who have completed three or more years of service before the end of the current fiscal. They also demanded enhancement of their basic salary to at least Rs 50,000 from the time of their recruitment.

Addressing reporters at the Press Club here on Monday, contractual doctor Dr Ponung Pertin pointed out that since establishment of the NHM in the State in 2005, the contractual doctors have been playing a pivotal role, especially during this pandemic, in dispensing the healthcare system to the most rural areas of the State. THe NHM has employed doctors of several allied branches such as dental surgery, Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Unani.

"How long do you plan to make us count the long enduring years of contractual service to the State before we get regularized in our jobs?" she posed.

Dr Pertin informed that of the around 132 contractual NHM doctors across the State, while 43 are dental surgeons, 11 doctors are from Ayurveda, 78 from Homeopathy and five others from Allopathy.

Meanwhile, Dr Chow Milinda Engling said that the contractual doctors are entitled only to a basic salary starting at Rupees 23,000 per month which is far less than a regular doctor. He further said that the contractual doctors are only given 12 days casual leave annually. "We are grade-A doctors," he added.

"The contractual doctors are also not provided with TA, DA, EL or housing facility. Which is promised to the regular doctors," he said, adding that the contractual doctors have for many years endured this disparity in treatment without any complaint and hoping for a better future.

He further said that the entire dedicated team of contractual doctors have successfully completed more than three years of service.

Earlier, Dr Atom Tajo said that the State government should start absorbing the contractual doctors as regular doctors. He added that the contractual doctors are much experienced as per seniority and has also been serving at various levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also pointed out that the regularizing process of the contractual NHM doctors will create more vacant posts for the qualified unemployed youths.

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