HYDERABAD: Alleging discrimination in the way senior administrative positions of the Health Department are filled, the Telangana SC/ST Government Doctors Association staged a protest in Hyderabad on Saturday, September 4, 2021, demanding parity and transparency in the process.
The protesting doctors stated that despite their seniority and years of experience, they were left out of key positions not only at the level of District Medical and Health officers (DMHO), but also at the level of Principals, Director of Health and Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad Commissioner.
“Of the 100-odd doctors eligible to hold these senior posts, nearly 70 belong to SC/ST groups. Yet none of them have been placed in senior positions of administration,” said Dr Babu Rao, head of the association.
The doctors further said that several key positions were currently held by people of one specific caste. This has been the case for the past 6-7 years, they claimed. One of their key demands was to establish a roaster system to ensure that eligible doctors from the SC/ST community also got a chance to hold senior posts.