Posted By :  Admin1

Government doctors in Tamil Nadu have expressed their dissatisfaction with the state's recent health budget, stating that it fails to address their long-standing demands for better pay and working conditions. The Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors (LCC) highlighted that despite their significant contributions to the state's healthcare system, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, their salaries remain lower than those of their counterparts in other states. They emphasized the need for the implementation of Government Order 354, which pertains to pay band revisions and other work-related issues. 

The LCC also criticized the Tamil Nadu Health Minister's claims that a consensus had been reached regarding the doctors' pay demands. They argued that such statements are misleading and exacerbate the existing discontent among medical professionals. The committee pointed out that unlike other states, Tamil Nadu has not adjusted doctors' salaries to match those of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. They urged the immediate implementation of pay band four as per Government Order 354, issued in 2009, to align state government doctors' salaries with those of central government doctors. 

In addition to salary concerns, government doctors have raised issues regarding staffing shortages and the need for better working conditions. They have called for the filling of 1,500 vacant doctor positions in the state and the reinstatement of 930 higher-order posts lost due to a restructuring order. The doctors emphasized that while the state's health infrastructure has improved, the pay structure has not been revised accordingly. They believe that increasing the health department's budget would facilitate the implementation of their demands and improve overall healthcare services in Tamil Nadu.