'Not a single penny': AIIMS RDA says 65 foreign national doctors unpaid for a year
PremiumOut of the 151 Nepalese doctors training at AIIMS in New Delhi, PGI in Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry, 65 working at AIIMS are yet to receive their salaries
As many as 65 foreign nationals, including those from Nepal, training at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have not received their salaries since last year, said the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the institute.
"All of these 65 foreign national Doctors in AIIMS New Delhi, over and above their regular clinical duties are also performing COVID duties since March 2020. They are performing such duties even by putting their own life," the RDA wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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4 min read . 06:32 AM IST"They are not being paid a single penny towards a stipend, despite explicit and clear directions in July 2018," they added.
The RDA was recalling a letter written in May of 2018 when PM Modi had assured the PM of Nepal that the matter regarding the release of stipend to Nepalese foreign national doctors would be looked into expeditiously by the Indian government.
They stated that the Ministry of External Affairs had inter-alia informed the MOHFW "to ensure concrete progress with the directive of the Prime Minister by mid-September 2018".
Out of the 151 Nepalese doctors training at AIIMS in New Delhi, PGI in Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry, 65 working at AIIMS are yet to receive their salaries.
The letter also stated that not a single doctor, out of 65 working at AIIMS were distinguishable or severable in the eyes of law with the Nepalese doctors working in PGI Chandigarh and JIPMER.
"...Even undergraduate and intern Doctors are also being allowed honorarium. Whereas throughout the civilised world, it is not permissible to draw a distinction between the duties and responsibilities of a professionally trained doctor undergoing postgraduate training and interns," it added.
The RDA requested that the health minister or the Director of AIIMS be asked to release emoluments of the 65 doctors immediately.
Govt responds to human resource dearth
This comes in the backdrop of the Union government postponing the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (postgraduate) while allowing central and state authorities to deploy candidates for Covid-19 duty.
This will make available a large number of qualified MBBS doctors for Covid duties, the government said. More than 1,60,000 MBBS doctors last year had taken the exam, seeking admission to various MD (Doctor of Medicine), MS (Master's in Surgery) and PG Diploma courses.
The government also decided to allow the deployment of Medical Interns in Covid Management duties under the supervision of their faculty, as part of the Internship rotation.
"The individuals providing services in Covid management will be given priority in forthcoming regular Government recruitments after they complete minimum of 100 days of Covid duty," the central government said.
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