ANIIMS doctors demand vacation or earned leaves amid decline in COVID cases

By Sanchari ChattopadhyayPublished On 2021-07-14T10:00:00+05:30 | Updated On 14 July 2021 4:30 AM GMT

ANIIMS doctors demand vacation or earned leaves amid decline in COVID cases

Port Blair: Despite a decline in Covid-19 cases, doctors of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS) are not being allowed leaves nor the authorities are converting it into Earned Leaves (EL), expressed doctors of ANIIMS.

Meanwhile, various healthcare institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have announced Summer Vacation for the staff, however, no such leave has been granted for ANIIMS staff.

Expressing their dismay, ANIIMS doctors demanded that same rules should be applied to ANIIMS, as it is also a government run institution and the center should announce vacations for it as well just like other institutions, considering the decline in COVID19 cases.

Associations like the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) have already posted regarding the issue on their social media platforms.

FAIMA pointed out, "Covid cases are declining throughout the Nation & AIIMS & PGIMER have already announced their summer vacations for this year. But The Admin at Andaman & Nicobar is not announcing the vacations or converting them into EL's as per the CCS Leave Rule Policy 1972."

FORDA on the other hand also tweeted, " While various Healthcare Institutions of the Nation have announced Summer Vacation with a decline in COVID19 cases, requests of Doctors of #ANIIMS are being declined. Authorities are requested to address the issue at the earliest."

While various Healthcare Institutions of the Nation have announced #SummerVacation with decline in #COVID19 cases, requests of Doctors of #ANIIMS are being declined. Authorities are requested to address the issue at the earliest @Andaman_Admin @Admiral_DKJoshi @MoHFW_INDIA @ANI pic.twitter.com/EaD8XbZUvO
— FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) July 12, 2021

Covid cases are declining throughout the Nation & AIIMS & PGIMER have already announced their summer vacations for this year.
But The Admin at Andaman & Nicobar is not announcing the vacations or to convert them into EL's as per the CCS Leave Rule Policy 1972@PMOIndia @ANI pic.twitter.com/LDCYQv6lpT
— FAIMA Doctors Association (@FAIMA_INDIA_) July 11, 2021

Speaking on the issue, Dr Manish Jangra Founding Chairman, FAIMA told Medical Dialogues, " Despite no COVID case being recorded in Andaman & Nicobar within the last four days, why are the authorities not allowing leaves? The medical college is run by the government. The institution is run by a society of higher officials since 2015. There is a vacation provision in central governments' leave policy. So that, people who serve in remote places like Andaman & Nicobar Islands also get the chance to meet their family during the vacation."

"However, since the last year, the director has not approved any of the vacations. Neither are they allowing us leaves nor are they converting it into Earned Leaves (EL). It has already been 7 months since winter vacation and there is still no order regarding converting the leaves into ELs," added the doctor.

He further informed, " FAIMA and the faculty members have tried to talk to the Director, Dr. AK Mandal regarding the issue but he has not paid much attention to the problem. Authorities are calling doctors promising them good accommodation, salary, incentives, and leaves and when they serve, they take them for granted. Previously Britishers used to banish people in these islands, I am getting the feeling that now the faculty members are stuck there with no leaves."