VIJAYAWADA: Special Chief Secretary (Health) MT Krishna Babu on Tuesday directed Community Health Officers (CHOs) to resume their duty without disrupting health services in rural parts of the State.
The CHOs (Mid-Level Health Providers (MLHPs)) under the Andhra Pradesh MLHP/CHO Association have been protesting, demanding revision of salary structure, annual increment, 35 days leave, guidelines for implementation of job chart and regularisation of the service.
CHOs and nursing graduates are recruited at Dr YSR Village Health Clinics to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services to the rural people. They are supposed to provide first-aid services in case of snake bite, sunstroke or any other health emergencies. Their stay at the headquarters is mandated with 30 per cent of the total incentive to be paid.
A total of 697 CHOs were recruited in 2019, 4,519 in 2021-22 and 4,816 in 2022-23. As against the Central government’s norm of allocating one sub-centre for a population of 5,000, the State government has sanctioned one Dr YSR Village Health Clinic for each village secretariat having a 2,500-3,000 population.
The CHOs are appointed on a contract basis for a one-year period. Their contracts are renewed based on the performance assessment. They are given Rs 25,000 per month salary and Rs 15,000 as an incentive (total: Rs 40,000 per month) based on performance. The CHOs are now demanding Rs 35,000 as a base salary and Rs 5,000 as an incentive.
According to their contract, the CHOs are not entitled to compensation, if they wilfully neglect or refuse or are unable to perform any of the duties. In view of the non-compliance by the CHOs, a circular was issued on November 27, indicating if they do not resume work, their contractual services shall be terminated henceforth as per the provisions of the contract.