CHANDIGARH: Even as the central government is trying to boost the Indian systems of medicine across the country, Ayush doctors in Punjab are forced to work as data entry operators and tele callers, much to the chagrin of these practitioners working in the government set-up.
Due to a severe shortage of staff, the Punjab government enlisted Ayush medical officers to support the Covid-19 response efforts, entrusting them with respon-sibilities including testing, sampling, and contact tracing. However, as the pandemic began to subside, civil surgeons received instructions to refrain from assigning Ayush doctors to such tasks. Despite instructions, these doctors are still being assigned duties like tele calling, telephone operations and data entry, directly disregarding the given guidelines.
In a recent order issued by the deputy medical commissioner in Jalandhar, nearly 100 Ayush doctors were assigned to the control room forthe month of May.
Awoman doctor stationed in Jalandhar control room revealed that she, along with a few others, has been assigned the task of contacting pregnant women for follow-ups, while others are required to punch in Covid testing and sampling data. Some doctors are obligated to handle the helpline number, where people ask about the availability of doctors, medicines, and other information.
Expressing strong opposition to the health department’s decision to assign homoeo-pathy and ayurvedic doctors to these roles, the NRHM Employees’ Association has raised the matter with the principal secretary of health, urging immediate intervention.
Dr Inderjeet Singh Rana, state president of NRHM Employees’ Association and national president of Ayushman India, said such tasks cannot be assigned to these doctors as it is against their service rules. He further stated that the deployment of doctors in control rooms is adversely affecting the OPDs of Ayush dispensaries.
Due to a severe shortage of staff, the Punjab government enlisted Ayush medical officers to support the Covid-19 response efforts, entrusting them with respon-sibilities including testing, sampling, and contact tracing. However, as the pandemic began to subside, civil surgeons received instructions to refrain from assigning Ayush doctors to such tasks. Despite instructions, these doctors are still being assigned duties like tele calling, telephone operations and data entry, directly disregarding the given guidelines.
In a recent order issued by the deputy medical commissioner in Jalandhar, nearly 100 Ayush doctors were assigned to the control room forthe month of May.
Awoman doctor stationed in Jalandhar control room revealed that she, along with a few others, has been assigned the task of contacting pregnant women for follow-ups, while others are required to punch in Covid testing and sampling data. Some doctors are obligated to handle the helpline number, where people ask about the availability of doctors, medicines, and other information.
Expressing strong opposition to the health department’s decision to assign homoeo-pathy and ayurvedic doctors to these roles, the NRHM Employees’ Association has raised the matter with the principal secretary of health, urging immediate intervention.
Dr Inderjeet Singh Rana, state president of NRHM Employees’ Association and national president of Ayushman India, said such tasks cannot be assigned to these doctors as it is against their service rules. He further stated that the deployment of doctors in control rooms is adversely affecting the OPDs of Ayush dispensaries.