Geotagging bugs Ayush doctors

Doctors association says move by state infringes on privacy.

Update: 2019-08-22 19:09 GMT

Hyderabad: Geotagging of government Ayush doctors in Jadcherla and Wanapar-thy districts has led to an uproar not only among the practitioners of traditional medicine but also allopathic doctors.

Doctors say they cannot be geotagged to improve the attendance in government public health centres (PHCs) and hospitals as it is an infringement of their basic rights.

With 180 doctors being geotagged in two districts, word has spread rapidly among doctors and there was a protest at Medak where Ayush doctors refu-sed to download the app.

Dr Ravula Jagadeeshwar Prasad, president of the Telangana Ayush Medical Officers Association, said, “Geotagging is futile as in the rural areas PHCs are managed by Ayush doctors. If the doctors do not attend, the district medical and health officers department will not release our salary. In the districts, Ayush doctors are managing clinics of modern medicine and those of the alternative stream. Aysuh department does not have us on their payrolls.”

Ayush doctors were recruited for the government’s Kanti-Velugu scheme and they have continued to work under the medical and health department even after its completion. Ayush doctors attend these clinics after completing their work at the modern medicine units.

A retired Ayush doctor on condition of anonymity explained, “There is a tacit understanding between doctors of both streams. The Ayush doctor manages clinics of both the streams and the remuneration is shared. With geotagging this business will completely stop hence the opposition.”

While this practice has been going on the non-functionality of Ayush clinics in rural areas has led to several complaints. Checks by the vigilance department have time and again shown that of the 10 clinics in a district only two are functioning.

The government then decided that geotagging was the best solution. The trial has created fear among the allopathic doctors too, who have raised a hue and cry on the issue. Telangana Doctors Association president Dr Lalu Prasad Rathod said, “The decision to keep tabs on the doctors is not justified. There is a system in place and that has loopholes. For a few black sheep the whole fraternity can’t be made to pay.”

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