Morung Express News
Kohima | June 13
The decision made by the State Cabinet on June 11, regularizing the post of 27 contractual doctors who were recently appointed to meet the shortfall of medical doctors in the state, has drawn the ire of the state’s NHM workforce.
On Saturday, an ‘indefinite cease work’ starting June 14 was announced by the National Health Mission Employees Association, Nagaland (NEAN) who also submitted a memorandum of demands before the Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Health and family Welfare (H&FW).
The 3-point NEAN memorandum demanded regularization of NHM employees and parity of pay with State Health Employees of the same rank as well as employees’ benefit to NHM employees in line with the state H&FW employees.
The repercussions could jeopardize the department’s effort in combating and containing the COVID-19 pandemic and could spell trouble for the state’s already overburdened health sector as sources revealed that 90% of medical personnel both doctors and nurses, manning the quarantine centers and COVID-19 hospitals are from NHM. There are about 57 contractual doctors under NHM, whose services are yet to be regularised.
While the said appointments were made purely on contingency basis for a period of 12 months, the regularisation order came as a ‘shock’ to numerous contractual doctors under NHM, NSACS and NHAK who are yet to be regularised even after 10-15 years of service.
Sharing his resentment on the Cabinet’s decision, a doctor under NHM said, “This is totally unfair on the part of the government. We have been serving for more than 10 years, and the recent appointees have been regularised even before they were deputed and without any exams.”
“Since almost 90% of medical personnel manning the quarantine centers and COVID-19 hospitals are from NHM, the strike called by the NEAN from June 14 may lead to a system collapse, if the government and the department don’t take some corrective measures on this unfair decision” said the doctor who has been serving for 12 years.
Earlier, The Morung Express had reported that medical personnel from NHM assigned for the COVID-19 duty are being overworked and stressed due to acute shortage of medical personnel.
Doctors who voiced their frustration after the regularization order came out were clear that their resentment was not directed at the new recruits but against the Cabinet decision.
“No offence to the newly inducted doctors but irrespective of the present situation, immediate regularisation is unfair at the very least. Let them serve out the year, and if the situation warrants, extend their services, till such a time as earlier doctors on contract were regularised. This will be so demoralising to many of our serving colleagues,” one of them said.
Another doctor observed that “As Governmental Contractual Posts for medical doctors are always limited in the Medical Department, NHM and NSACS medical doctors have also performed the same "yeoman medical services" in every district of our state for many years.”
NEAN President Dr Shasinlo Magh also issued a press statement on behalf of thee association alleging “nepotism, favoritism and discrimination towards the NHM employees.” Stating that NHM employees have been delivering health care services in the state for so many years “with minimum salary and lack of any service benefits like HRA, ex-gratia, TA/DA, etc. unlike the state counterparts,” Dr Magh also pointed out that NHM employees have no ‘job security’ as their contracts are fixed for a period of 5 months which is extended based on performance.
“During these unprecedented moments that our State is going through and as we struggle with shortage of experienced manpower, it would only be fair if the Government could go the extra mile and recognise their extraordinary sacrifices and consider their ‘regularization’ according to the number of years they have sacrificed and served our people,” one of the doctors told this newspaper.
When contacted, Principal Director, H&FW, Dr Vizolie Suokhrie said, “this regularisation has the approval of the Cabinet, and there is no question of ‘fair or unfair’ because in a situation where nobody wants to apply, some people have come and that is one thing.”
“The government is very clear that during this crisis whatever possible help can be done that will be done,” asserted Dr Suokhrie who was of the view that if there are any grievances, it should be brought to the knowledge of the department first.
At the same time, he also assured “if there are any grievances, we can look into it and we can prioritise,” and further informed that the department will be advertising more posts in few days time, and that the department is trying its best to help its employees.
Revoke ‘unconstitutional’ regularization of posts: NJDA
Meanwhile, the Nagaland Junior Doctors' Association (NJDA) comprising of allopathic graduates and post graduates today called for ‘immediate revocation’ of the State Cabinet’s decision.
In a press release, the Association expressed resentment at the “undemocratic and unconstitutional steps” taken by the state government to bypass all the Health Service rules. “The Association very much acknowledge the extraordinary times but it doesn't mean they can just over ride the laid down service rules and guidelines overnight under the pretext of epidemic Act,” it stated.
It also pointed out that while the advertisement order clearly stated that “The appointees shall have no right to claim for the regularization on any ground whatsoever," the Cabinet’s decision “has not only deprived the fundamental rights of other members but has put a big question on the way government is functioning by way of doing 'raffle system.'”
“The fraternity treats this as a gross violation of Article-16 which provides equal opportunity in matter of public employment,” the NJDA stated while adding that meritocracy should prevail irrespective of the situation with equal opportunity and privileges to all its members.
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