Nearly 750 government doctors formed a human chain near the Madras Medical College (MMC) to draw the attention of the State government towards their long-pending demands, on Tuesday. The protest organised by the Federation of Government Doctors Associations (FOGDA) was held simultaneously in at least 25 districts of the State.
A. Ramalingam, convener of FOGDA, said the government doctors were demanding proper implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP). “As of now, we are getting promotions in 15, 17, 20 years of service, while as per DACP, we are demanding promotion at 4, 9, and 13 years of service. This is what the rest of India followed,” he said.
Tamil Nadu ranks high in the country in several health indicators but its doctors are among the lowest paid, added P. Balakrishnan, State president of Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association.
‘Low pay’
“When it comes to salary for doctors, we are among the last 10 States. For DACP, Government Order 354 should be reviewed. It was due for review in 2017, and we have been holding talks and protests demanding proper implementation for the last two years. We are demanding payband 4 at 13 years of service,” he said.
FOGDA is also demanding that the number of posts of doctors should be according to the patient load.
This after the Directorate of Medical Education issued a GO for restructuring posts through which certain posts in the hospital side were reduced. “To fulfil Medical Council of India norms, the government restructured teaching posts in clinical and non-clinical sides. They reduced certain posts in the hospital side such as junior resident and senior resident and removed the posts of assistant surgeon. We are demanding that the number of posts should be according to the patient load,” he added.
Dr. Ramalingam said they were also demanding 50% service quota in masters degree and super specialty courses and conduct of counselling for posting for service postgraduates.
