The State Government has announced the appointment of 1,048 MBBS doctors in primary health centres (PHCs) in Karnataka. With this, services of 350 Ayush doctors, working in rural areas for the past 16 years, areat risk.

Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors and Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) doctors were appointed on “against post” contract basis for working in rural areas. Out of the 350 doctors, 58 of them have been working with the Health Department ever since 2006. 

Dr Rahul Devaraj from Shikaripura said that MBBS doctors were initially hesitant to serve in rural areas, so the government posted BAMS and BHMS graduates, with a few interested MBBS graduates, to serve in the surrounding area. Most of these doctors have crossed the age of 50 years. With the government’s new decision, they might lose their job.

In the meantime, the Karnataka State against MBBS-AYUSH Doctors Association has insisted the State Government to consider the services that are rendered by these Ayush doctors for the last 16 years and not to terminate them.

Dr Devaraj said that their doctors have worked in difficult times such as floods, droughts etc. In the past two years, they have also worked in Covid care centres and hospitals. The government should retain them, taking all these into account.

Several MBBS doctors have been working on contract basis for the past 8-10 years. Previously, there was a provision to regularise their services. However, it is not done for several years now. Thus, the services of these doctors are also at stake. 

A doctor said that once the newly-recruited doctors report, they will be relieved from their duties. Besides, 90% of COVID-19 management in rural areas was managed by Ayush doctors. It is unfortunate that due to the recruitment of new doctors, government is ready to replace those doctors who have worked as frontline workers.

Source: The New Indian Express