Shillong MP Ricky AJ Syngkon has written to the Union Ministry of AYUSH over discrepancies in the pay of AYUSH staff.
According to the MP, medical officers appointed in AYUSH 10-bed hospitals in Meghalaya are paid a fixed remuneration of Rs 32,000 per month, which is “significantly lower” than AYUSH medical officers appointed under the National Health Mission (NHM), who receive a basic pay of Rs 45,500 along with annual increment of 5 percent.
“This discrepancy in pay is disheartening and demotivating for the medical officers who work tirelessly to ensure quality healthcare for patients,” Syngkon said. “Furthermore, the officers stationed in the AYUSH 10-bed hospitals are required to perform duties 24×7, especially since the inpatient department has been made operational. Despite this level of dedication and responsibility, they are not being compensated on par with their counterparts under the NHM.”
Syngkon also said that contractual workers under other national programmes within Meghalaya receive benefits that include increments and performance-based pay. However, AYUSH medical officers here “are excluded from these entitlements.”
The AYUSH 10-bed hospitals have not received the “necessary support and guidance from the concerned authorities,” the MP said, adding that the supply of AYUSH treatments is “inadequate and irregular” and that has put patients off from using them.
