BENGALURU: The Karnataka Ayush Doctors’ Association has announced that 589 Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) doctors serving on contract basis with over 200 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) will go on an indefinite strike from July 20.
The doctors, recruited under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), demand that their wages be increased and service regularised.
Recently, the government had announced a steep hike in the salaries of allopathy doctors.
Dr Shivalingappa, president, NRHM Karnataka Ayush Doctors’ Association, said that the salary of an allopathy doctor at the entry level was close to Rs 60,000 per month following the hike, but AYUSH doctors’ salaries still remain at Rs 15,400.
He added that the Health Minister did not address their concern and gave them false assurances, which was why the doctors had decided to protest.
“The Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of AYUSH were approached to look into the matter, but they played the blame game. While the Health Commissioner is of the opinion that the AYUSH Department is responsible for a hike in our salaries, the Ayush Director says that since we work for NRHM, the decision ought to be taken by the Health Department. Neither is looking into our problems,” he said.
The association said it had also approached the Centre and was told that any changes in the wages were to come from the state government.
Another doctor of the AYUSH medical officer rank complained that they were being treated as fillers.
“Besides treating patients at the PHCs, we are also expected to do our bit in implementing the national health programmes,” he said.