Govt docs welcome move to implement GO 354, grant stipend

The long-pending demand of government doctors to implement GO 354 will most likely be met in September, officials said. They have been seeking COVID-19 relief stipend to all the government doctors and healthcare workers on COVID-19 duty.

After several protests by government doctors, GO 354, with states that the State government doctors will be given the salaries on par with their central government counterparts, would be implemented in the coming weeks, officials from the Directorate of Medical Education. A recommendation to this effect has been moved to the Chief Minister from the Health Minister’s office.

Dr S Perumal Pillai, president of the Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors, said the government had heard their demands and negotiations with Health Minister Ma Subramanian were over.

The government is also expected to bring in regulations on private practice as GO 354 is implemented.

The other demand, of granting COVID-19 relief stipend to healthcare workers, is expected to be implemented in the first week of September. “The government doctors were to be given Rs 30,000 and nurses, Rs 15,000 as a stipend for COVID-19 duty. The release of funds for the same has been promised in the coming week,” said Dr R Ranjith, a member of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association.

The doctors in the Tamil Nadu government service had been seeking salaries on a par with their central government counterparts for a long time. The move on part of the government comes as a welcome relief as it would help doctors on COVID-19 frontline duty. The GO 354 will also ensure that the loss on account of private practice is made up for.

The COVID-19 relief stipend for other health workers like nurses would also provide a much needed succour to those in the sector who have been putting in hundreds of extra hours of work during these times of crisis.

Recently, the State government had hiked the stipend of CRRIs and postgraduate students. This had revived the call for implementing GO 354, which was originally notified in 2009.

Directorate of Medical Education official said the order would be approved by CM MK Stalin in the coming weeks under the recommendation of Health Minister Ma Subramanian