Patna, Nov. 27: Hailing the state government’s move to extend doctors’ retirement age from 62 to 65 years, Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) today demanded better service conditions and “respectful treatment” for medical professionals.
A large number of doctors from across the state had gathered in the capital today in BHSA executive body meeting. They thanked chief minister Nitish Kumar and health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey for extension in the retirement age but rued that the government was allowing increased bureaucratic interference in functioning of health establishments of the state.
The organisation, representing government doctors in the state, raised objection over introducing biometric attendance system for doctors.
“Why are only doctors being treated like this? If the government wants to correct the functioning of various departments, the same rule should apply for all gazetted officials of the state doctors. Even in the health department, the biometric attendance system should be applied right from the principal secretary-level to all other employees. Why is the government biased against doctors?” said BHSA general secretary, Ajay Kumar.
Accusing the government of being insensitive and apathetic towards them, doctors once again thwarted to take a “decisive step” if the government did not pay attention to their demands.
Kumar said while the chief minister had shown some sensitivity towards the needs and grievances of doctors, many of their genuine demands were being ignored. “While the government seems to agree on most of our demands in-principle, it has failed to take substantial steps so far,” he said.
BHSA members said about 4,200 doctors in the state, which includes contractual doctors also, are doing the work of 12,000 doctors. “But we cannot work in an environment where we do not feel secure. The poor working conditions, coupled with increasing interference by bureaucrats, have made it difficult for us to continue our services. We are suffering in the hands of high-handed bureaucrats, who treat us badly and misbehave with many of our colleagues,” Kumar said. He reiterated BHSA’s long-pending demands of rural allowance for doctors working in interiors, recruitment of doctors every year to strengthen health delivery system and attractive service conditions for health professionals.
The other demands of the doctors included recruitment of medics in specialist cadre with additional advantage, same salary structure as that of central government doctors, ban on private practice for government doctors with non-practice allowance, constitution of special security force for doctors at work, fixation of scheduled duty hours as per National Rural Health Mission recommendations, more power for health directorate and regularisation of doctors working on contractual basis.
