Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 2: It is learnt that the Ayush doctors who shouldered the responsibility of caring for the Covid patients alongside other doctors during the critical stage of the pandemic, have been kept out of the list of those eligible to receive the special Covid allowance. Only allopathic doctors including those holding BDS degree who discharged duty as specialist doctors, duty officers and dental health officers are eligible for the revised COVID allowance.

In many hospitals, because of the shortage of MBBS and specialist doctors, Ayush medical officers have been working. These doctors equally shoulder the responsibility of treating the patients. In many cases, they have been hired on contract basis.

Most of the doctors appointed under National Rural Health Mission are Ayush doctors, and several states have given impetus to such doctors. When Sriramulu was the health minister, NRHM staff had struck work and then the minister had promised to increase their pay. He also made an announcement but now the salary has remained as it is, and they have been deprived of the Covida allowance.

President of Ayush Federation of India Karnataka. Dr Mohan Biradar, said that Ayush doctors have been neglected. He said that the government which has been neglecting demand for equal pay for same work since many years, has now kept the Ayush doctors out of the COVID allowance norms. He urged the government to extend the allowance to them too.