Madura

Disburse ex-gratia to doctors soon: forum

A delegation of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) met Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan here on Sunday and urged him to give ₹2 lakh as ex-gratia to doctors who contracted COVID-19.

Earlier, the official inspected the post COVID-19 Wellness Clinic and microbiology lab at the Government Rajaji Hospital. TNGDA president K. Senthil said ex-gratia was yet to reach a single doctor affected in the State. The Centre had promised ₹50 lakh to those who succumbed to COVID-19 and the State, ₹25 lakh. Yet, the ₹50 lakh did not reach anybody.

The health secretary said claims from the kin of doctors who died were yet to reach the State government and assured to take action.

Dr. Senthil said postgraduate doctors who had completed their tenure and joined duty on June 1 were yet to get their salaries as they have all been deputed in Chennai temporarily on COVID-19 duty. “Their families depend on their salaries. The government must at least make temporary arrangements for a portion of their salaries to be disbursed,” he said. The forum also raised a long-pending demand for time-bound promotions.

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