BAMS, BUMS doctors to be employed at Maharashtra PHCs, CHCs at Rs 25,000 pm salary, IMA sees red

Nagpur: Ayush doctors in Maharashtra will now work in the health and welfare centres (HWCs) in rural areas of the States under the Ayushman Bharat Project. In this regard, the National Health Mission Maharashtra has already invited applications from the BAMS and BUMS doctors.

While these doctors will first be trained for six months, and receive Rs 10,000 per month during the period of certification, after they will receive appointment in the HWCs and draw a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 for full-time duty on contractual basis.

Appointed as Community Health Officers, these doctors will take care of the public health functions, ambulatory care, and management. They are further expected to provide good leadership to the HWC.

In the 11 districts of Vidarbha, there are more than 400 vacancies with the highest number of vacancies i.e. 101 vacancies in Gadchiroli alone. Nagpur also has 49 such posts vacant. The BAMS and BUMS doctors willing join these posts will have to submit their applications online on the NHM portal.

Apart from the Ayush doctors (BAMS and BUMS), the bachelors of nursing with valid registration from the Maharashtra Nursing Council are also eligible for submitting application for these posts.

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However, this attempt of the government to introduce the Ayush doctors in the healthcare services has not been accepted by the associations of Ayurveda, Unani and doctors of modern medicine alike.

While Ayurveda and Unani doctors have termed it to be insulting, Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also opposed these recruitments citing their demand for recruiting modern medicine doctors to work in these centres.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the Health Department of Nagpur division will recruit the doctors in six districts of Nagpur division. Informing that more than 5000 such doctors are already employed in the system, the officials have further informed the daily that such doctors are receiving Rs 25,000 fixed monthly payment.

Doctors who will perform well will get another Rs 15,000 incentive at the end of the year. In case of those who will serve in the tribal and naxal-affected regions, they will get another Rs 15,000 incentive at the year-end.

While commenting on this, a senior official from the divisional health department said, "It's not for the first time that the state government is inviting applications for community health officers. Under Ayushman Bharat, we have already filled thousands of posts on same terms and conditions."

However, opposing these recruitments, a senior officer-bearer of state IMA has told the daily, "We want doctors of modern medicine (MBBS graduates) to work in health and wellness centres. But, it's difficult to get a modern medicine graduate for Rs 25,000 per month payment."

Agreeing with this, the members of national integrated medical association informed TOI that they get much more than the government salary for working in the private hospitals in cities as residential medical officers (RMOs).

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