Amid surge, rural docs defer Covid duty boycott

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 26

Rural medical officers, who threatened to boycott the Covid duties from Monday if their demand for Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) of cadre is not fulfilled, have deferred the move seeing the recent surge and assurance by the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat.

Demand equal financial benefit

• Dynamic Assured Career Progression is given to all doctors working under the Department of Health and Family Welfare
• Rural medical officers have been ignored and as a result they are getting 20% less pay as compared to their counterparts

The rural medical officers are wearing black bands to work as a mark of protest. “Rural medical officers are serving in remote areas of the state since 2006. Earlier, they were on contract and were later regularised in 2011. The cadre has been granted salary and allowances on a par with medical officers of the health department. In 2015, they became eligible for the application of DACP, but it has been delayed and the demand is still unfulfilled,” said Dr JP Narula, state president, Rural Medical Services’ Association.

“It has been six years since we are eligible but have been denied our right. We had decided to protest but seeing the rising cases and assurance from the minister concerned, we have deferred our decision,” said a rural medical officer.