Mangaluru: Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader has made it clear the services of Ayurvedic, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (Ayush) doctors, who were appointed under the National Rural Health Mission, could not be regularised. But he promised better salaries for the 650 Ayush doctors who are working since 2006 through reappointment.
The NRHM director for Karnataka wrote to the Union Health Ministry on November 5, 2014, requesting a 10-per cent hike in the salary of Ayush doctors, which is Rs 28,000. Just three to four months ago, the Union government had approved increasing the salary by five per cent (from Rs 25,000) only if the State re-advertises for the posts, he told reporters here on Friday.
“Ayush doctors have agreed to apply again. Revaluation of the existing doctors will be done through District Health Officers. After re-advertisement with new salary structure (Rs 25,000 a month), first preference would be given to them. Discussion is going on about 67 doctors who were working for MBBS doctors. They may be retained by establishing Ayush units in PHCs. For MBBS doctors, to avoid pay disparity, the government is considering bringing them under the Health department from the NRHM,” he explained. But regularisation of Ayush doctors is impossible as there are no posts at all. They are working on contract, he added.
According to Khader, the KPSC has issued a notification on appointing 381 MBBS doctors, 963 PG holders and 87 dental degree holders. Karnataka is paying the highest salary to government doctors in the country (Rs 60,000 to MBBS doctors). The government also released Rs 187 crore for paying stipends during the one-year mandatory service in rural hospitals.
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