All ASSAM AYURVEDIC DOCTORS WELFARE SOCIETY
A memorandum submitted to the Honourable Mission Director, NRHM, Assam,
Khanapara, Guwahati-22.
Head office :
Bamunigaon, Amingaon
P.O. : Jalukbari, Guwahati
Pin No. : 781031, Assam.
Hon’ble Sir,
We on behalf of the All Assam Ayurvedic Doctors Welfare Society have the honour to draw your kind attention on the problems presently faced by us as enumerated below for favour of our consideration & early disposal the same.
Introduction:-
We the M.O(Ayu.) have been recruited under NRHM in the year 2006 due to your sympathetic consideration & for which we are obliged to for your keen and sympathetic attitude & we convey our gratitude to you. The Doctors as recruited under the NRHM posted in different remotest villages, hill stations under BPHC's,PHC's,MPHC's,SD's,CHC's etc. and are working & extending health care service to the village people as well as hill people facing all sorts of difficulties and communication problems .It is well known to you that the Doctors posted and placed in such a village where there is no better communication system transport system ^residential facilities & electricity too. Still then we are performing our sincere efforts to extend medical facilities for which the responsibility entrusted by us by the NRHM . Presently more than 280exsisting Ayurvedic Doctors play a vital role in the rural areas health sectors in Assam.
Duties & Responsibility Of MO (Ayu.) :
Duties and responsibilities of MO(Ayu.) is higher and multifaceted risk bearing in comparison to MO(MBBS) off the NRHM & stat govt. The MO (Ayu.) working under NRHM are taking all the responsibilities of their PHC's ,MPHC's ,CHC's,& SD's etc including emergency duty , Epidemic duty ,national programme,natural calamities ,ethnic violence duties, VIP, VVIP & all other camp duties apart from regular OPD & IPD duties. Moreover our Doctors are attending duties on all the Govt, holidays including Sunday.In case of emergency duties in the Hospital the duty Doctor has to take overall responsibilities of the Hospital as the MO (ayu.) is the only Doctor present at that time. Moreover keeping in view various duty roster issued by the respective authorities ,it is seen that MO(Ayu.) has to attend various field duties like epidemic duties, national vector borne disease control duty ,Regional National Tuberculosis Programme, IPPI Programe, Immunization Programme according to the guidelines of Govt, of India & to meet up the health demand of the society. The MO(Ayu.) also prescribing medicines to the patients as per their necessities both Ayurvedic aeand allopathic medicines. The NRHM is providing both the medicines for the use of the patients .To our mind advance society is now a days creating a tendency all over the Indian people follow the medicines of ayurvedic. The Govt, of India not to speak of world population systematically trying to introduce & attract the people to take Ayurvedic medicines for getting relief from the diseases.
Success of a Govt, vis- a- vis the implementation of above mentioned & other health welfare oriented schems is entirely linked with the performance of MO(Ayu.) to areas great extend as at the bottom of the health set up i.e. PHC,MPHC,SHC,SD etc .MO(Ayu.) is the only officers to execute various health related programme in case of most of the health Institutions specially in the rural health sector.
It is such that MO(Ayu.) has take additional load of duties besides normal rotation duty due to growing demand of health sector as Govt. of India has taken various disease control & eradication programmes at the grass root level & stand as a bridge between the Govt. & the public in general for greater interest of the community.
Status of MO (Ayu.) :
In the year 2006 BAMS Doctors were appointed as Medical Officer (Ayu.) under NRHM in different remotest hospitals in Assam. That time Ayurvedic (BAMS) Doctors were given 15000 (Fifteen thousand rupees) fixed pay. Allopathic Doctors (MBBS) 18000 (eighteen thousand) fix pay, Dental Surgeon (BDS) -18,000 (eighteen thousand). After few months MBBS salary were increased to Rs. 20000 without enhancing the salary of other medical officers.
That time we Ayurvedic Doctors point out to the higher authority that both Ayurvedic & MBBS Doctors have the same identical nomenclature of their posts, same diagnostic procedure, job responsibilities and both of the Doctors (Ayurvedic & Allopathic) are working under NRHM. But our higher authority replied us that due to our pay scales in Assam Govt. service holder BAMS, MBBS Doctors and BDS Doctors were not equal and also the higher authority gave us assurance that if the Govt. will give the equal basic pay to the among BAMS, MBBS & BDS Doctors than they also give equal fix pay to all (BAMS, MBBS & BDSD) Doctors working under NRHM on dated 11.01.2011, Memo No. NRHM/HRS/SH/110/2009-10/27285 vide notification NRHM, Assam the salary of Doctors are notified as follows ;-
| BAMS Doctors | 22,000/- |
| BDS Doctors | 29,000/- |
| MBBS Doctors | 30,500/- |
The above mentioned pay revision created a sense of deprivation amongst Ayur. Doctors by refusing their genuine demand for equal pay with MBBS Doctors again. The reasons of such differences in the pay of both the MBBS & BAMS Doctors are beyond our knowledge. It dismay that why such a discouraging / disappointing decisions are taken by the NRHM to deprived the Doctors of Ay. The pay as provided to MBBS. It is contradictory so far the principle of the “Equal pay for equal work” is enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Sir, we due respect we want to highlight the point that Govt. of Assam vide notification No. HLS.241/2010/78, dated 07.01.2011 Dispur the pay scales of MO (Ayu.) is equal to that of MBBS Doctors. So, MO (Ayu.) engaged under NRHM should also get equal salary as per with MO (MBBS). We have furnished the letter and orders of “Enhancement of pay scales for MO (Ayu.)” of Health & Family Welfare (A) Department & Governor.
So, we are giving a comparative study of pay scales of BAMS, MBBS & BDS Doctors in the last (four) pay revision by the Govt. of Assam as follows:-
| Year | Post | Pay-Scales | Remarks |
| Before 1983 | Ayu. Physician & M&HO-II | Same | Same |
| 1983 | M & HO-I | 875-1850 | |
| BDS (Dental Surgeon) | 850-1775 | Same with BDS | |
| BAMS Doctor | 850-1775 | ||
| 1989 | M&HO-I (MBBS) | 1835-4325 | MBBS & BDS |
| BDS (Dental Surgeon) | 1835-4325 | Same | |
| Ay. Physician (BAMS) | 1785-4200 | Lowered by 50/- | |
| 2008 | M&HO-I (MBBS) | 12000-40000 | MBBS, BAMS |
| | BDS (Dental Surgeon) | 12000-40000 | BDS |
| | Ay. Physician (BAMS) | 12000-40000 | Same |
Moreover, we want to inform you that as per the notification dated 11.01.2011, Memo No. NRHM/HRD/SH/110/2009-2010/27285, all the NRHM staff will get same revised salary as per their counterpart in the state services.
Justification for equalization of fix pay salary of MO(Ayu.) with MO(MBBS) & Dental Surgeon (BDS) :-
The present pay structure of the BAMS Doctors does not reflect the duty and responsibilities of the post, which need to be review in the light of the fact the duty & responsibilities of MO(Ayu.)are equal to MO(MBBS) & greater than Dental Surgeons (BDS). Apart from routine OPD duties the MO(Ayu) are engaged in regular emergency duties, night duties ,medical relief duties in various national disaster like flood ,epidemic out breaks etc. Similarly these Doctors are actively involved in various national Health programmes like RNTCP , IPPI ,NVBDCP ,etc and also same Ayur. Doctors single handedly & smoothly running the 24*7delivery centres.
A comparative study of MBBS ,BAMS & BDS courses are stated below:-
| Points | BAMS | MBBS | BDS |
| Entrance Qualification | 10+2 Science | MBBS | BDS |
| Mode of Admission | Same joint entrance for BAMS, MBBS, BDS | | |
| Duration of Course | 4 ½ yrs. | 4 ½ yrs. | 4 yrs. |
| Duration of Internship | 1 yr. | 1 yr. | 1 yr. |
On the above mentioned statement revels that the minimum admission qualification of BAMS is equal to all other medical graduates .However the span of course of BAMS & MBBS is equal and it is more than the BDS Doctors .But most unfortunately BAMS Doctors are given lower pay scales than all other above medical graduates.
It is also to be noted that the MO(Ayu.) in state Health Services & the teaching staff of Govt. Ayurvedic College had already been granted equal pay structures as the M&HO- t(MBBS) Doctors & other medical colleges of Assam i.e. AICTE pay scales. In this connections AAADWS would like to inform Hon'ble MD, NRHM, Assam that the pay scale of Ayurvedic Doctors are similar to that of Allopathic Doctors in State Health in Assam as well as central Govt. Health Services.
Under the above facts & circumstances as narrated we fervently appeals to your good authority to intervene* in the above mentioned problems of the Ayurvedic Doctors so that the job security &fix pay and other problems may be resolved by the NRHM authorities as early as possible and to create such an atmosphere ,so that the Ayurvedic Doctors feel encouragement & do their job sincerely .
We are submitting this letter to you as per unanimous decision of the general meeting.
Your early action is highly appreciated.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Enclosures :
| 1. | Enhancement of pay scale for MO (Ayu). Memo No. HLA/241/2010/71, dated 07.01.2011. |
| 2. | Revised pay scale of NRHM, Memo No. NRHM/AR8/811/110/2009-10/ 27285, dated 11.01.2011. |
| General Secretary | President |
Copy to :
| 1. | The P.S. to the Chief Minister, Govt. of Assam, Dispur, Guwahati-6. |
| 2. | The P.S. to the Minister, Health & F.W. Deptt., Govt. of Assam, Dispur, Guwahati-6. |
| 3. | The Chief Secretary, Health & F.W. Deptt., Govt. of Assam, Dispur, Guwahati-6. |
