Pune: Hundreds of BAMS doctors decide to resign if there is no rise in their salary

Mehab Qureshi

Pune, August 22, 2020: As many as 2,000 Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors working in the state and treating Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) affected patients have decided to resign; furious of low salary.

A large number of contract medical officers have been appointed under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) program. These doctors are working at the COVID Care Center and are carrying out high-risk activities like collecting swabs, duty in Corona Care Center ward, monitoring of suspected patients at bus stands, railway stations, airports, containment zones, fever OPD, door to door survey, etc. These doctors have stated that they are underpaid, and their salary difference is huge compared to MBBS doctors. They have demanded a salary-hike.

According to the union of medical officials, the RSBK doctors in Maharashtra are paid less than peons. The Maharashtra government is paying Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 to MBBS doctors during the pandemic, but BAMS doctors are only paid between Rs 22,000-25,000. They have also stated that in the last twelve years, there has been no increments for RBSK doctors, instead, their salaries have been reduced.