6 months ago
2
After the State authorities provided assurance to the PHC doctors and managements of Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva-empanelled hospitals, Community Health Officers (CHOs) person urged the authorities to lend them an receptor and resoluteness their issues astatine the earliest.
Pointing retired that they person been waiting for a gathering with Minister for Health Satya Kumar Yadav since May, Sandeep Kumar, caput of Andhra Pradesh Midlevel Health Provider/Community Health Officers’ Association, said, “We called disconnected our strike, held from April 17 to May 26, aft the authorities assured america that our issues would beryllium addressed. We were promised that a gathering with the Minister would beryllium scheduled instantly to sermon our demands.”
But, 5 months person passed since then, and the CHOs proceed to hold for a day for the meeting. In the meanwhile, their demands, including removal of Facial Recognition System (FRS), outgo of inducement arrears and rent, proviso of transport allowance, a fixed pay, stay unfulfilled.
Recently, CHOs, who enactment successful Village Health Clinics (VHCs) oregon Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, had to capable successful for PHC (Primary Health Centres) doctors, who were connected a onslaught for much than a month. Moreover, 545 VHCs successful the State bash not person an ANM, whose duty, too, has present been added to the CHOs’ database of responsibilities.
“We person nary transport allowance, nary fixed wage and nary incentives, and yet, the authorities wants to instrumentality up further responsibilities. How agelong tin we spell connected similar this,” helium asked. The CHOs are yet to person monthly incentives of ₹15,000 for 7 months.
There are astir 10,000 VHCs successful the State, which are manned by 1 CHO, an ANM and 2 oregon 3 ASHAs. Some of these centres, which were opened crossed the state successful 2018, are inactive being tally successful rented buildings successful the State. The CHOs are having to marque out-of-pocket expenses towards rent and energy bills.
The CHOs are expected to person astir ₹25,000 arsenic wage and ₹15,000 towards incentives. But, incentives person been pending for 7 months.
“The State authorities has not reimbursed the rents oregon energy bills for 10 months successful immoderate centres. The rents, usually betwixt ₹2,000 and ₹3,000, are paid by CHOs,” says Mr. Sandeep Kumar. He added that they besides are having to walk connected getting aesculapian infrastructure and connected flooring, carpentry, and miscellaneous expenditures.
“We besides enactment successful tribal areas and successful distant villages. Are we not wellness workers? Why is the authorities not addressing our issues? All we inquire for is 1 gathering with the Minister,” helium said.
