Over 2,000 AYUSH doctors who had resigned from government service seeking higher wages and regularisation will rejoin work following assurances from Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar that the government would increase their salaries.
However, the doctors association is unhappy over the condition that the increase would be temporary. “We have been told that the higher salaries are only for six months and that it would revert to the old salary scale after that. However, owing to the seriousness of the epidemic, we have agreed to rejoin duties. We will take a decision about continuing with our services if the government goes back to the old scale after six months,” said Jeevanesh Hiremath, State president of the Association of AYUSH Doctors on Contractual Service in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
The 600 doctors in primary health centres and 1,400 doctors attached to anganwadi and other child care centres are likely to join duties after the government offered to double their salaries, he said.
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Most AYUSH doctors in the State are on contractual service. They are paid a consolidated salary of ₹20,000 per month. The government has offered to pay them ₹48,000 per month, but deferred their other demands citing financial difficulties.
The striking doctors have been seeking a revised salary of ₹60,000 and regularised service.
On Monday, a delegation led by Dr. Hiremath held two rounds of talks with the government.
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