Govt docs reject pay hike offer, to quit en masse

BANGALORE : After government doctors threatened to resign en masse on Monday over wage issues, health minister U T Khader on Friday proposed a hike in salaries for nearly 5,000 doctors of the health and family welfare department. But the medical officers have rejected the proposal and will go ahead with their resignations. The minister meanwhile said the pay hike proposal will have to be cleared by the finance department. Over 4,500 medical officers and 280 doctors working on contract basis had threatened to resign over wage disparity and irregular payment. GA Srinivasa, secretary, Karnataka State Medical Officers Association, said their meeting with Khader on Friday didn't yield results and they would go ahead with the resignations. Recruitment to begin: The doctors had said they were overburdened due to lack of staff. Khader said they have considered the issue. "We shall be recruiting 331 general doctors, 87 dentists, 380 drivers, 1,228 nursing and paramedical staff, 983 specialists, 877 medical staff for Hyderabad-Karnatak region alone," he said. If the doctors want to quit in spite of the measures, the government is prepared to tackle the issue, he said. "Efforts will be made to avoid any inconvenience caused to patients in government hospitals," added Khader, though he could not answer how the state proposed to bring in alternative medical help. Contempt of court? Will the mass resignation lead to contempt of court? It won't, said N Sivasailam, principal secretary, health department. But he was quick to add, "If they abandon their posts and fail to discharge duties, action has to be taken by the court and not by me. The case filed a year ago against doctors for not attending work is still not disposed of." -TOI