BAMS docs get appointment letters even before exit test
Chaitanya Deshpande | tnn | Mar 19, 2019, 04:12 IST
Nagpur: Desperate to roll out its ambitious plan of making Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) functional across the state, Maharashtra government handed over appointment letters to all 1,244 BAMS doctors who had applied for exit test even before they appeared for the examination.
The exit test of over 1,100 BAMS doctors, who completed six-month training to become eligible for appointments at HWCs, was conducted between March 15 and 18 at 25 centres.
A total 1,298 BAMS doctors completed the six-month training from September to March, of them 1,244 applied for the test and 1,187 appeared for theory examination. Their practical examination will be held for 3 days from March 25 to 30 and the results are expected to be out by March 30.
Without waiting for the results, the state handed over appointment letters to all those who applied.
Dr Vijay Kandewad, nodal officer for National Rural Health Mission (Maharashtra), told TOI that the appointments would be conditional.
“The candidates who appeared for the exit test have been given appointment as head of HWCs in rural areas of their respective districts. They will start working from April 1. However, this appointment will continue only if they clear the exit test,” he said. The letters were served before the exam because of the model code of conduct. “As per our plan, it was necessary to appoint doctors at HWCs before April 1. Waiting for the results would have delayed this. So, we took a strategic decision to give conditional appointment letters,” he added.
According to Kandewad, state targets to start 13,000 HWCs in 5 years. For this, the first phase of 1200-plus centres need to be started from April 1, 2019. In second phase, 9,000 more such centres are to be started by 2022.
BAMS (AYUSH) doctors, who have received the appointment letters, will start working from April 1. They will get Rs25,000 fixed salaries and up to Rs15,000 incentives based on their performance. If they fail in the exit test, they will get a second and only chance to appear for it in six months. These doctors will prescribe allopathic medicines and provide 12 health services including maternal and child care, geriatrics, palliative care, screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases, mental health, ophthalmic and ENT, trauma care, dental care, neonatal and infant care, and family planning in rural areas.
The exit test of over 1,100 BAMS doctors, who completed six-month training to become eligible for appointments at HWCs, was conducted between March 15 and 18 at 25 centres.
A total 1,298 BAMS doctors completed the six-month training from September to March, of them 1,244 applied for the test and 1,187 appeared for theory examination. Their practical examination will be held for 3 days from March 25 to 30 and the results are expected to be out by March 30.
Without waiting for the results, the state handed over appointment letters to all those who applied.
Dr Vijay Kandewad, nodal officer for National Rural Health Mission (Maharashtra), told TOI that the appointments would be conditional.
“The candidates who appeared for the exit test have been given appointment as head of HWCs in rural areas of their respective districts. They will start working from April 1. However, this appointment will continue only if they clear the exit test,” he said. The letters were served before the exam because of the model code of conduct. “As per our plan, it was necessary to appoint doctors at HWCs before April 1. Waiting for the results would have delayed this. So, we took a strategic decision to give conditional appointment letters,” he added.
According to Kandewad, state targets to start 13,000 HWCs in 5 years. For this, the first phase of 1200-plus centres need to be started from April 1, 2019. In second phase, 9,000 more such centres are to be started by 2022.
BAMS (AYUSH) doctors, who have received the appointment letters, will start working from April 1. They will get Rs25,000 fixed salaries and up to Rs15,000 incentives based on their performance. If they fail in the exit test, they will get a second and only chance to appear for it in six months. These doctors will prescribe allopathic medicines and provide 12 health services including maternal and child care, geriatrics, palliative care, screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases, mental health, ophthalmic and ENT, trauma care, dental care, neonatal and infant care, and family planning in rural areas.
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