Karnataka hikes NHM Ayush doctors’ salary for 6 months

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Government has decided to increase the salary of Ayush doctors working under the National Health Mission (NHM) from Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000 for the next six months.Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said salaries of NHM doctors working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) have been hiked. “Normally, for those working under the NHM, 60 per cent of the salary component is given by the Centre and 40 per cent by the state. However, for six months, the state government will give the full salary component,” the minister said, adding that after that period, the state government would recommend a hike to the Centre.

Dr BS Madhukar, a member of Karnataka Ayush Medical Officers’ Association, said they will continue with the strike till they get complete clarity on the government’s decision.The association is backed by 27,000 Ayush practitioners in Karnataka, under the banner of Ayush Federation of India and they will decide on the strike after meeting Health Minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday.

Dr Madhukar said the government decision to increase salary would apply to Ayush doctors working against sanctioned MBBS posts, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram doctors and Ayush doctors under the National Health Mission, who are on contract basis.“We will take a call on the strike only after getting full clarity,” he said.

Dr Mahaveer Haveri, founder general secretary of Ayush Federation of India, said they were demanding a salary hike and allowing Ayush doctors to practice allopathy medicine in PHCs. “We wanted the government to consider both the demands,” he said.