THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) deciding to boycott evaluation meetings at the district level, disease control and prevention activities are likely to take a big hit especially in the background of increasing cases of dengue and malaria across the state. The district-level evaluation meetings of Medical Officers are crucial in finalising the disease prevention and control strategies at various levels.
Besides evaluation meetings, the doctors have also decided to boycott VIP duty and private practice. Over 1,500 doctors staged a dharna in front of the secretariat to protest against the drastic cut in salaries of doctors following the 10th Pay Commission Recommendations. The KGMOA has threatened to observe a mass fast in front of secretariat on the Thiruvonam day on September 14 and a token strike on September 27 followed by an indefinite agitation.
The association alleged that there had been reduction of Rs 1,200, Rs 10,500, Rs 14,200, Rs 14,600 and Rs 15,000 in the basic pay of of different categories. Situation had now come to such a pass that doctors will have to deposit Rs 33,576, Rs 47,734, Rs 54,318 and Rs 59,256 back to the government. It has pointed out anomaly in basic pay of assistant surgeons/ junior consultant, assistant director/ consultant/civil surgeon, deputy director/ senior consultant/civil surgeons, additional DHS/ chief consultant and director of health services.
The proper ratio of civil surgeon and assistant surgeon in promotion posts has not been maintained, no revision in allowance of doctors deployed in casualty services and fixation of basic pay. The KGMOA said many of its demands had been overlooked; higher start for specialist not given, higher pay for higher qualification offered in the commission report not honoured, higher start should be given as special pay (amounting to two increments) or additional two advance increments to specialists and super specialist to all levels of their pay to get the actual benefit.
