Chennai: “A colleague of mine, who works as an assistant professor in a Tamil Nadu government medical college receives a salary of Rs 52,000 per month after completing three degrees - MBBS, MD and DM. This is lesser than the stipend he received as a student while studying at AIIMS, Delhi,” says Dr S.Perumal Pillai, state office bearer, STGPA.
This is the plight of the 18,000 government doctors in the state who have been demanding that government implement a better career progression programme for nearly four years now. “Tamil Nadu is often touted as one of the best in the healthcare industry with performance on par with the international medical community. Ironically the state pays the lowest wages to its doctors,” says Dr S.Perumal Pillai. Doctors note that even states like Bihar which have been adjudged by the Niti Aayog to be one of the worst performing states in the nation (in terms of healthcare) have implemented Dynamic Assured Career Progression-DACP (which means assured increase in the grade pay of doctors after 4, 9, 13 and 20 years of the service) for its doctors.
Tamil Nadu has always been a front-runner in the health sector. The latest Niti Aayog reports reveal that Tamil Nadu along with Kerala, is one of the few states in the country to have achieved 2025 national health policy (NHP) goals for neonatal mortality rate, maternal mortality rate and under 5 mortality rate.” We, government doctors, cater to almost six crore people a year. In addition, we also tutor the future doctors of the nation. With a workload almost three to four times more than our counterparts in other states, we have been able to deliver this performance.”
“The pay for MBBS, specialist and super specialist doctors in government hospitals of Tamil Nadu is lesser than the average pay of an MBBS doctor in other states. We spend nearly 12 years studying medicine. With such low wages at the age of 40, we are forced to practice privately and work night and day. This has increased our stress and is responsible for the premature deaths of many government doctors in the state,” he points out. He says that 50-60 per cent government doctors do not practice privately, though they are allowed to, as most people opt for government medical facilities due its beneficial welfare schemes. “We don’t avail the non-practising allowance too,” he adds.
However, this is not the first time that the state’s doctors have expressed their concerns. On September 12 last year, around 6,000 doctors gathered at Kalaivanar Arangam and held a rally demanding implementation for DACP. “Government held talks with us and promised to resolve the issue within four weeks. They even formed a team to review the salaries. However, it has been almost eight months and there has been no response from the authorities. This is especially sad as both the Health Minister and health secretary of the state are doctors themselves,” alleges Dr.Perumal Pillai.
“Tamil Nadu has a health budget of Rs 12600 crores. Our demand for Dynamic Assured Career Progression-DACP will cost government just 150 crores of this,” he says.
Government doctors across the state have begun wearing black outfits to work and plan to go on a week-long protest. They are expected to announce their future course of action at the state executive committee meeting to be held on Sunday (July 7).
