Ayush doctors write to CM Devendra Fadnavis demanding ‘equal pay for equal work’

Frustrated with unequal pay against much extra work compared to MBBS doctors at the civic hospitals the Ayush doctors at the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray HBT Aapla Dawakhana have written to Maharashtra Chief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis demanding ldquoequal pay for equal workrdquoldquoThe advertisement was posted on January 16 2023 It has been two years since we have been working on the same salary of Rs 42000 The MBBS doctors for the same or less work are paid Rs 80000 Also we are appointed on a sixmonth contract whereas they MBBS doctors get permanent positions after completing a threeyear probation periodrdquo said Dr Dhananjay Shivaji More Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC Assistant Medical Officer Nemani Urban Health Post PNorth WardIn 2023 the Ayush doctors appointed by BMC stood at 138Cheated with designationldquoWhile the salary difference is the major issue we have also been cheated The advertisement released in January 2023 mentioned that the recruitment is for the post of medical officer at the HBT Aapla Davakhana established in the 24 wards However the merit list was neither put up on the official website of MCGM nor displayed on the board in their officerdquo Dr Mehul Kanade Shastri Nagar Health Post1 BMC GNorth WardldquoAll of us received an email about the selection and we were asked to collect our appointment letters from the office And when we saw our letters it was mentioned as assistant medical officers and our postings were at the Urban Public Health Centres instead of HBT Aapla Dawakhana That time we did not say anything considering that services must be provided But we had no idea what we were getting into Apart from attending to patients there is a lot of administrative work that we have to dordquo Dr Kanade saidIf the doctors would have been appointed as per the details mentioned in the advertisement they would have had to work either in the morning shift 7 am3 pm or evening shift 3 pm10 pm and only attend to OPD patients restricted to just one dawakhana However at present each assistant medical officer is responsible for nearly 80000 patients in addition to the administrative work Dr Kanade explainedJuniors getting paid moreldquoThe advertisement for the post of Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife ANM was out last year These ANMs who are junior to us are paid R48000 per month even when they are responsible for just 10000 patients per ANM Also the ANMs have a threeyear probation after which they are transferred to permanent posts just like they do for the MBBS doctors appointed by the BMCrdquo said Dr Aniket Londhe Tadwadi Health Post BMC E WardldquoJust because we are BAMS Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery doctors and not MBBS doctors we are paid lessrdquo he addedUnjust contractsAs per the National Health Mission rules which are applicable to the Ayush doctors as well the contracts of Ayush doctors are supposed to be of 11 months however the BMC has appointed these doctors on a contract of six months Also there is a difference in the number of contract months and salaries of various corporations ldquoIn Ulhasnagar Corporation the contract period is 11 months and they are paid Rs 55000 In Thane though they are paid Rs 40000 their contract period is 11 months However in BMC limits the contract is for six months and the salary is Rs 42000rdquo informed MoreWhatrsquos the matter nowThe BMC recently issued a circular stating that the contracts of these Ayush doctors which were supposed to be exhausted in March this year are extended until JuneldquoHowever they are planning to release another advertisement after June for the same post And we will again have to apply for the same We have been serving for the betterment of patients over the last five years Why are we competing again for the same postrdquo questioned MoreAuthorities speakldquoThey have met me and I assure that there wonrsquot be injustice The matter will be taken seriously and necessary compensation will be given at the earliest We will discuss releasing the new advertisement and how to retain the existing Ayush doctorsrdquo said Maharashtra Health Minister Prakshrao Abitkar The BMC officials were available for a comment despite middayrsquos repeated callsAyush doctorsrsquo demandsbull Increase in salaries At least as much as BMCrsquos MBBS doctorsbull Retainer at their current postings instead of reapplyingbull Increase in contract tenure as per National Health MissionatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params