Resident doctors in India may get a hardship allowance! According to the latest data by the health ministry officials, Resident doctors in India may get a hardship allowance of Rs 5,000-Rs 7000 for risking infections from needle-prick wounds or cuts suffered while treating patients.
As per the records, the Union health ministry has approved the allowance last year and sent the proposal to the government’s economic affairs department for review. The health ministry proposal forwarded to the finance department also reads that they will seek comments of the Integrated Finance Division [IFD] on this matter. Risk hardship allowance is applicable only to those doctors who work in high-active field areas such as border areas or where there are an epidemic or counter-insurgency operations in field areas, as per the 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations on allowance resolution.
“The health ministry in-principle approved adding the risk hardship allowance for resident doctors. But this would require changes in the residency clause as it would apply to all resident doctors across India. Since the move would require the salary structure of the residents to be altered, we had to forward the proposal to the finance department. The file is with them and the ultimate decision will also be theirs” said a health ministry official.
The association of resident Doctors FORDA(Federation of Resident Doctors Association) expect the hardship allowance to be implemented in the coming academic session, which is in May.
Dr Sumedh Sandanshiv, president, FORDA, said “Our profession is full of risks as at the first point of contact with a patient, there is no way we can know about their HIV, viral hepatitis or swine flu etc status. And when you are working in such high-pressure environment accidents do occur. Besides, residents do not have fixed work hours and do not get compensated for long hours.”
Because of the increasing violence from the side of the patient’s attendants, resident doctors, especially those working in the emergency department, have also been demanding risk allowance.
But, according to the health ministry official, the hardship allowance proposal is only for the risk of infections and injuries. “Manhandling is an administrative lapse, not a risk that can be compensated under this head,” he added.
Source: Hindustan Times
Image: Mangalorean.com