Despite good perks, docs in AP avoid Covid-19 duties

Though the government is offering a handful of sops like `1.5 lakh monthly salary, 15-day eight-hour work each month and postings at their preferred places, qualified doctors are reluctant to report for duties at Covid-19 hospitals in the state.

Even though Indian Medical Association (IMA), government officials and superintendents of Covid hospitals are repeatedly urging them, doctors are not reporting for work even after receiving appointment letters. Even more ironic is that some doctors are not even responding to phone calls for emergency medical services.

Though the district administrations have cleared hurdles in recruitment of nurses, paramedical staff, and class IV employees on outsourcing basis, every district is facing a crisis when it comes to recruiting doctors for hospitals dedicated to Covid-19 treatment.

Recently, after IMA AP Chapter’s negotiations with the state government, all the district chapters have swung into action and started massive exercises to recruit doctors in the government and private hospitals to attend to Covid-19 patients.

In a first, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the administrations to recruit doctors by giving government salaries and to also deploy them to private hospitals.

One of the Joint Collectors, Principal of Andhra Medical College, and a group of senior officials in association with the IMA, Visakhapatnam Chapter, identified 1,800 qualified doctors in the districts. The officials’ called all the 1,800 doctors over telephone and urged them to join in emergency medical aid. Finally, the administration gave appointment orders to 403 doctors.

“I myself signed on the appointment orders but a majority of the selected doctors are reluctant to join Covid-19 services,” lamented District Collector V. Vinay Chand.

According to information, Visakhapatnam district has recruited the highest number of doctors.