CHENNAI: Doctors once recruited for the now-defunct mini-clinics in the State continue to face financial constraints with the backlog in their salaries running into two months. Though the State health department had decided not to extend the mini-clinics scheme from December 31, 2021, the district level health officials were instructed to use the doctors posted in these clinics for Covid-19 duty till March 31, 2022. As such, the doctors were to work under other schemes, in vaccination camps, primary health centres, among others, and were supposed to continue getting their salaries.
“No one can really manage without a salary for 45 days. Whatever the reason for the delay, it should be resolved,” said a mini-clinic doctor, now working in Chengalpattu. The doctors complained that only those in Chennai and Ramanathapuram districts have so far received the salaries.
“The department officials said the process to release the salaries is going on,” said one of the State representatives of the doctors. The team of doctors, who now travel long distances for work every day and wait for their salaries, include pregnant women and lactating mothers, said a woman doctor from Kancheepuram. She added the delay has caused much mental stress to them.
Meanwhile, a senior health department official told TNIE the department had allocated Rs 60 crore during the third wave of Covid-19 through the National Health Mission for Covid, and instructed the districts to use the funds to pay the salaries of the doctors too.
“The problem might either be that some districts are not utilising the allocated funds or that there is a shortfall, of which they have not reported to the department. We will give the money if some districts need more,” the official said, and added, “If they were not paid due to lack of clarity, we will definitely address it.”
Deputy Director of Health Services said, “There was no clarity if we could use the Rs 60 crore for Human Resource. So, we are waiting for separate funds,” he said. Officials said the department was paying the doctors scheme’s funds before the clinics were discontinued.