Ayush doctors on Covid duty demand frontline worker tag

DHANBAD: Contractual Ayush doctors deployed at dedicated Covid-19 care centres across the state demonstrated on Wednesday to press for their demands of identification as frontline workers and insurance coverage at par with other medical and health staff.

They demonstrated by sporting black badges at various Covid-19 centres across the state before joining duty.

Their frontal organisation Jharkhand Ayush Association (JAA) has also submitted a memorandum to chief minister Hemant Soren in this regard, the association’s state president Dr Digvijay Bhardwaj said. “Contractual doctors have been compelled to work under protest from June 9 to 12 for getting of status frontline workers as well as insurance coverage at par with other doctors and health staff,” the memorandum stated.

The JAA also warned to go on agitation path if the state government fails to take decision against their demands by June 12.

As per Dr Bhardwaj, contractual Ayush doctors in Jharkhand are being paid the lowest honorarium in the country despite them being deployed for all Covid-19 related health services. “In Jharkhand, Ayush doctors draw about ₹22,000, while Bihar pays them ₹65,000,” he said.

JAA also demanded insurance coverage of ₹50 lakh under Garib Kalyan Yojna for those dying due to Covid-19 infection, appointment against vacant posts of regular doctors, extension of services till 67 years of age and immediate revision of honorarium.