JOIN USDoctors working under Health and Family Welfare Department are protesting against the government to withdraw 10 district hospitals which have been taken over by the Medical Education department as they are starting new medical colleges.
According to the doctors, once the medical education department takes over, they do not get enough promotion opportunities and will end up in rural areas throughout their career. Also, doctors working under the Medical education department are preferred for promotions besides a huge gap in the pay scales of doctors working in both the departments.
The difference is not limited to doctors, but also charges in state-run hospitals. Ever since four hospitals — Victoria, Vani Vilas, Minto and Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital were declared autonomous by the government, charges too were increased.
For example, ICU bed charges in autonomous hospitals are Rs 1,500 per day and extra medicine charges, whereas in government hospitals, under the Health department, it is Rs 650 per day, including medicines.
Operation theatre charges in autonomous hospitals are Rs 500 plus Rs 300 for every hour inside the OT. At the Health department hospitals, it is Rs 250 for the entire procedure. There is a huge difference even in fee for testing blood sugar levels. The Health department hospitals treat all BPL patients free of cost, whereas in autonomous hospitals, they charge 50 per cent of cost.