Contract doctors threaten to resign on July 8

We can join private hospitals and get Rs 1 lakh salary but we want to serve in rural areas.

BENGALURU: The 507 contract doctors under the health and family welfare department, who had planned to resign on July 1 if their demands were not met, have deferred their mass resignation to July 8. They said they will give the government more time to regularise their services, and would stop working after that if their demands are not met. They say their services have not been regularised despite service rules being notified in 2002.

The Karnataka Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Special Rules state that after three years of service in rural areas, doctors appointed on contract basis would be absorbed by the health department. Dr Ramkrishna, Belagavi primary health centre and member of the Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association, said, “It’s been two weeks and there is no progress yet. The services of some of the doctors have not been regularised for seven years.

We can join private hospitals and get Rs 1 lakh salary but we want to serve in rural areas. We are sending a circular to all DHOs and DCs, saying that if there is no progress, we will not continue work. We are frontline workers during Covid times, and yet we are not regularised.” The contract doctors stated that Minister for Health B Sriramulu had assured them that he would discuss the issue at the cabinet meeting and get their demands approved, however, it hasn’t happened so far and they are ready to resign.

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