‘Audiologists don’t want to take up temporary job paying ₹6K a month’

Since it is a temporary post, not many audiologists want to take up the position. We had requested the management to turn it into a permanent post, but the process is turning out to be bureaucratic. SENIOR DOCTOR , ENT department, RN Cooper Hospital

MUMBAI: The civic-run RN Cooper Hospital’s audiometry department has been shut for over a month due to unavailability of an audiologist — a doctor who treats hearing-related problem.

Doctors at the hospital said it is becoming difficult to retain audiologists as the post is a temporary one, with a remuneration of ₹6,000 a month.

“Since it is a temporary post, not many audiologists want to take up the position. We had requested the management to turn it into a permanent post but the process is turning out to be bureaucratic,” said a senior doctor from the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department of the hospital.

The doctor said, around 30 patients avail the services at the facility every day.

“There is a shortage of staff across departments because many posts are for temporary employees,” the doctor added.

The audiometry facility started three years ago with donations from a non-governmental organisation.

It has machines worth more than ₹10 lakh to conduct standard hearing loss tests such as otoacoustic emissions testing and brainstem evoked response audiometry. The tests help determine the degree of hearing loss in patients to decide the treatment options.

Dr Shashikant Masal, head of the ENT department at RN Cooper Hospital, said they have hired a new audiologist who will join the team soon. “There is a problem in retaining those who are hired on temporary posts, because of the salary. We are holding meetings with the hospital’s senior management to turn the post into a permanent one,” he added.