Service Doctors up in arms against Central Government on NPA issue

  • News
  • July 16, 2017

Call 7th CPC recommendations death knell for Govt Health Institutions   

 

New Delhi: Service doctors in the country are up in arms against central government for delinking of Non Practising allowance (NPA) from basic pay. On July 16, service doctors organizations’ joint council JACSDO in its GBM alleged that the government is out to destroy government hospitals which are already in mess. They warned that this action of government would subvert the aims of Govt’s much flaunted national health policy. They threatened direct actions against government’s arbitrary actions.

Dr Rajeev Sood, Chairman, JACSDO (Joint Action Council of Service Doctors’ Organization), in a press conference, said, ‘that the government’s stance on NPA would ruin the public health system in the country. He said service doctors in the country are much miffed by it and are in a mood to fight it out.’ He said there is massive unrest among service doctors at this stance of the government.’

Blaming the government and bureaucracy squarely for the plight of public sector healthcare, Dr Sood further said, ‘The recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission have destroyed the aspirations of thousands of doctors working in public health sector. Now the committee on allowance has accepted the reduction of None Practising Allowance (NPA) against all laws, rules and guidelines, and treating NPA as an allowance instead of basic pay against all administrative and Supreme Court and High Court orders. It seems 7th Central Pay Commission and current Government both have turned hostile to doctors and are indifferent to the deteriorating health care personnel.’

In the GBM, the speakers spoke at length about how successive governments have contributed to making public healthcare sector a complete mess. They alleged that present government’s decision to delink NPA from basic pay would prove death knell for public healthcare system in the country.

Joint action council of service doctors’ organization (JACSDO) conducted the All India Service Doctors Conclave and GBM today on 16 July 2017, in Auditorium of PGIMER, Dr. RML Hospital,  New Delhi. This GBM was in association with FORDA, DVA, AIFGDA, and was supported by DMA and IMA. Service Doctors of 10 organisations across the country under the banner of JACSDO, 20 State Health Services of India under AIFGDA all resident doctors of FORDA and Dental & Veterinary Doctors along with IMA and DMA represented in large numbers.

The speakers blamed that successive governments and bureaucracy have failed to bring in reforms in the health sector and its share in any budget had never increased to 1% of GDP. In BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China & South Africa), India spends least on Health. In latest study of Lancet and WHO, out of 188 countries, India stands at 143rd position, ranking below Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana and Somalia. With more than 60% shortage of Govt. Doctors and 1 Govt. Doctor for more than 16000 Population in govt. sector, country’s Social Health system is bound and destined to crumble.

They said the plight of Govt. Doctors is heard by Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in suo motto case, while rejecting the affidavit from the Govt. it has observed that the chief reason for violence against doctors is the extreme shortage of the doctors. The shortage is because of the failing cadre controlling authorities, i.e. Min of Health and bad Service policies of the Govt. India has more than 400 medical colleges, the largest in the world, and produces 55000 MBBS and 25000 MD/MS doctors each year. Central Govt. has always failed to recruit even 100 doctors per year in their Health system, while states have much worse conditions.

They said Non Practicing Allowance(NPA) paid to the govt. doctors for the most difficult nature of their duties in addition to poor career growth. This has been a part of pay ever since 1962, but not only severely curtailed by 7th CPC but also in contempt to court directives has been delinked from basic pay . This has lead to a massive unrest amongst the Govt. doctors across the country and from all cadres. Reports suggest that the exodus of govt. doctors has been rising, and if these recommendations are implemented, it will certainly lead to huge exodus of Doctors from the govt. sector to the private sector, and this will most certainly be hazardous to the already depleted govt. health Institutions. It will create a vacuum in govt. health care delivery that will most certainly be filled by private health care institutions, resulting in rise in cost of health care for the public in general. The most affected will be the poorer section of the society which is totally dependent on govt. health care institutions. Besides, a dismal pay structure of Govt. Doctors will result in quality HR exodus from the govt. machinery and coupled with lack of attraction towards govt. service for new generation of doctors, it will have accumulative adverse effect on Govt.’s promise to provide quality health care accessible to all. World Health Organization is worried that the health personnel in govt. sector in India are mishandled partly due to poor quality in HR as the govt.’s pay & perk are not attractive. Over all the govt. health policy is going to get a rude push back if the 7thCPC recommendations not suitably amended. In this regard a comprehensive note on charter of demands and issues of service doctors has been made; copy enclosed; and presented to the Hon’ble Health Minister, Secretary & Additional Secretary MoHFW, who assured directions to the concerned, to urgently attend to it. Representatives of state Doctors’ Association from 20 states held a conference under the banner of AIFGDA( All India Federation Of Govt. Doctors Association) on THE EVE OF Convention on 15th July 2017 in Delhi on this issue and participated in the convention. In this regard the joint action council of service doctors’ organization (JACSDO) conducted the GBM in Auditorium of PGIMER, Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi, on 16th of July 2017. This GBM was in association with FORDA, DVA, AIFGDA, and was supported by DMA and IMA.

The general body resolved to undertake the following decisions:-

RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 – NPA (Non Practising Allowance) is the established fundamental rights of only doctors as per govt. of India monograph. It is de-jure and de-facto element of the basic pay. The GBM rejects the 7CPC allowance committee notification especially w.r.t NPA in toto. NPA should be implemented as per Javed Chaudhary committee and also rechristened as Non Practising Pay without any ceiling.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 –‘ JACSDO and all allied organizations demand creation of the Indian Medical Service immediately and in that process all present incumbents should be given , pay, perk, promotion and protocol at par with the three All India Services. And also the cadre posts’ structural ratios and threshold movement should be at par with the AIS. The same should be extended to all constituents of JACSDO and all supporting health cadres in centre and state. 3. RESOLUTION NUMBER 3 – The GBM unanimously ratifies the revamped and reorganised JACSDO executive

RESOLUTION NUMBER 4 – The GBM authorizes the executive body to take any decisions on the course of action for agitation against the toxic notifications of the Allowance committee INCLUDING CALL AND TIMELINE FOR DIRECT ACTION AND INDEFINITE STRIKE.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 5 – The GBM resolves to demand dignity of doctors near retirement at the peak of their seniority.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 6 – In this W.H.O year of Mental Health, as govt doctors work in a Doctor: patient Ratio of 1:16000 (IN PRIVATE SECTOR 1:2000), as against the W.H.O Norm of 1:1000, which is a major reason for violence against doctors, 10 years shorter life span, high suicidal rates, we must be given 200% of basic pay as Allowance to compensate for this 800% shortage and as a cover to the high risk doctors have in their work. Doctors also demand that Govt. may facilitate the armed licence to doctors for self-defence till these ratios are corrected.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 6 – Stop adhocism and contractual appointment in the cadre. Regularize all the appointee through UPSC as in 1989. 8. RESOLUTION NUMBER 7 – The charter of demands of JACSDO has been submitted to Hon’ble Health Minister in person. It is demanded to be accepted in toto for healthy health cadres.

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