TIRUCHY: Doctors, who were hired on contractual basis at Amma Mini Clinics in the State, were shocked on Friday when a message on their termination was circulated on Whatsapp groups. The information was later confirmed by their superiors. The mini clinics were opened by the AIADMK government in 2020 and as many as 1,820 doctors were hired on contractual basis.
When TNIE contacted Health Minister Ma Subramanian, he said he has asked the department not to terminate anyone. “We were to meet these doctors and look into their grievances. As the model code of conduct is in force, we will meet them after the elections, and try to accommodate them in other departments,” he said.
Subramanian had, on January 4, announced that Amma Mini Clinics would be closed. The doctors were supposed to be given an extension till March 31. Reacting to the development, one of the doctors said, “I have worked in Covid wards tirelessly during second and third wave.
Yet, this is the treatment we get. The future of 1,820 MBBS graduates is uncertain.” What irks doctors the most is that although they were hired for the mini clinics, they were diverted to Covid work as cases increased. They said they worked in Covid ICUs and helped transport patients, but are being thrown out now as cases are coming down.