AP Doctors' body demands security for Disability Certificate Re-verification Process
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Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors’ Association has raised serious concerns over the increasing public backlash against doctors involved in the re-verification process of the disability pension scheme. In a letter submitted to the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh, K. Vijayanand, the association has requested enhanced security measures for doctors who are conducting investigations to eliminate fake beneficiaries from the scheme.
The team of doctors will be visiting houses to ensure that the person concerned has at least 40% disability before issuing certificates to persons with disabilities under the Software for Assessment of Disabled for Access, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (SADAREM) scheme.
The doctors pointed out that as they might delist a few persons if the disability percentage is not enough or they are faking their disability to be eligible for pensions, the doctors might face anger and backlash from people. The association also sought a uniform guideline regarding the dos and don’ts of the whole procedure. The state government has recently increased the money earmarked under the scheme. Now almost ₹15,000 will be given as a pension to people with 80% disabilities, while those with 40% disabilities will receive ₹6,000.
A two-member government doctors’ team including a general physician and an orthopedician, will be going door to door to investigate beneficiaries. According to association president D. Jayadheer Babu, there are around 13,000 houses to be covered in the State. The plan is to complete the exercise in a month.
Talking to Medical Dialogues, D. Jayadheer Babu stated, “Disability may vary depending upon the patients. Hence, the government wants to reverify and revalidate the patients who are receiving this amount on a monthly basis. The government wants to investigate the bedridden patients. We, as doctors, do not have anything against this agenda. It is a government policy and being a government employee, we should perform the duty assigned to us. We will go door to door to verify the condition of the patient.”
However, he pointed out that when they would go to check and examine the patient, people would accept them with open arms. But, when their evaluation recommends not giving pensions to someone, they would receive backlash or might become victims of violence. The association demanded proper safety measures for the doctors so that after completing the day’s target of investigating patients when they go to the village secretariats and upload the documents on a portal, they do not have to be in constant fear of being attacked.
In light of the recent move by the state government to take action against doctors and other healthcare providers who approve pensions for those who did not qualify during the previous regime, Dr. Jayadheer highlighted the necessity of uniform guidelines for the investigation. He further added, “We are new in the place and not aware of what kind of political scenario we might have to deal with. Hence, punishing doctors and putting the blame on us alone is not justified. Two doctors might evaluate a patient differently and thus, the percentage of disability may vary. We demand a proper guideline to follow the protocols correctly.”
