Tamil Nadu Doctors Want More Staff and Better Pay

Doctors in Tamil Nadu are asking the government for help. They want more staff in hospitals and better pay. They say that when new hospitals open, they need more doctors and nurses to work there. They also want their salaries to be like the ones in other parts of India.
By Newsroom | Tamil Nadu, Healthcare |

Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly's budget session, medical professionals are raising urgent concerns regarding hospital staffing levels and salary structures. A key demand is for the government to double the sanctioned number of healthcare staff across its facilities. Doctors argue that the opening of new hospitals and primary health centers, while a positive step, has been undertaken without a corresponding increase in personnel. This has led to existing staff being stretched thin, potentially affecting the quality of care provided to patients. Alongside these staffing requests, there is a persistent call for the implementation of a long-pending pay scale revision, specifically "pay band-4" for doctors with 12 years of service, bringing their salaries in line with central government standards. The government doctors' associations are emphasizing that while hospital infrastructure has seen significant upgrades over the past decade, their compensation has not kept pace.

Ahead of Budget session, doctors urge T.N. government to double staff strength in hospitals - 1

Staffing Shortages Intensify Amidst New Facility Openings

The Tamil Nadu government has been expanding its healthcare infrastructure with the establishment of new primary health centers and government hospitals. However, a critical gap has emerged: the lack of new staff appointments to match these developments.

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Ahead of Budget session, doctors urge T.N. government to double staff strength in hospitals - 2

  • Deputation Strain: To staff newly opened facilities, doctors and nurses are being temporarily assigned from existing hospitals. This practice, as seen in places like Ammampettai and Kandiaperi government hospitals, leads to a reduction in available personnel at the originating institutions.

  • Insufficient New Posts: Since the current administration took office, over 100 new health centers and hospitals have been inaugurated. Reports indicate that no corresponding new positions have been formally created to support these expansions.

  • Operational Gaps: The Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors (LCC) has highlighted operational issues at these new facilities, such as the reliance on deputations without permanent appointments, as observed at Salem’s Ammapettai Government Hospital.

  • Dual Roles, Divided Time: In some instances, eight doctors and numerous nurses are dividing their time between multiple institutions, placing a significant strain on both the staff and the facilities they serve.

Long-Pending Pay Scale Revision Remains Unaddressed

A significant demand from government doctors centers on the implementation of "pay band-4," a salary scale that would align their earnings with those of their counterparts in the central government. This has been a long-standing grievance for medical professionals in Tamil Nadu.

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Ahead of Budget session, doctors urge T.N. government to double staff strength in hospitals - 3

  • GO 354 Standoff: The implementation of Government Order (GO) 354, notified in 2009, which aims to provide state government doctors with salaries equivalent to central government doctors, remains a key point of contention.

  • Stagnant Pay Structure: Despite substantial improvements in hospital infrastructure over the past 10 to 15 years, the pay structure for government doctors has not been revised to reflect these advancements or changing economic conditions.

  • Inter-State Disparities: Reports suggest that approximately 19,000 government doctors in Tamil Nadu receive salaries lower than those offered to government doctors in other Indian states, despite their contributions to the state's healthcare system.

Economic Pressures and Healthcare Funding

Beyond staffing and pay, broader economic considerations and the allocation of resources to the health sector are central to the doctors' concerns. International trends also indicate that hospitals are grappling with financial constraints.

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Ahead of Budget session, doctors urge T.N. government to double staff strength in hospitals - 4

  • Budgetary Allocations: Doctors' associations are advocating for an increased budget for the health department. This additional funding is intended to support new appointments, enhance welfare schemes, and ensure adequate resources for healthcare delivery.

  • Hiring Freezes and Layoffs: Globally, healthcare systems are facing economic headwinds. For example, Dartmouth Health in New Hampshire implemented a hiring pause, and UC San Diego Health eliminated over 200 positions, illustrating wider institutional pressures.

  • Impact on Patient Access: Such financial pressures can lead to delayed or forgone medical care for patients. There is also concern that reduced funding could threaten the viability of rural hospitals, potentially creating critical gaps in emergency services.

Recognition for COVID-19 Frontline Workers

The ongoing discussions also include a compassionate appeal for support for the families of healthcare professionals who have made the ultimate sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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  • Support for Families: A specific request has been made for the government to provide employment to the wife of Dr. Vivekanandan, a government doctor who died while on COVID-19 duty. This call for support extends to recognizing the personal cost borne by the families of those who served on the frontline.

Expert Insights and Broader Health System Concerns

While the immediate focus is on Tamil Nadu's state budget and the demands of its doctors, the challenges faced resonate with broader discussions about public healthcare in India and globally.

  • Structural Gaps: Experts and healthcare stakeholders are flagging enduring structural issues within India's health system, noting that factors like rising chronic diseases, air pollution, and workforce shortages are straining healthcare delivery.

  • Investment in Prevention and Primary Care: There is a strong call for strategic investments in preventive healthcare, early diagnosis, and strengthening primary healthcare centers. Training community health workers and establishing national surveillance programs are seen as crucial steps.

  • Domestic Manufacturing and Procurement: Enhancing public procurement of locally manufactured medical devices is also suggested as a measure to provide immediate benefits to the healthcare sector.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The Tamil Nadu government faces significant demands from its medical community as it prepares for the upcoming budget session. The core issues revolve around ensuring adequate staffing levels through the creation of new positions rather than relying on deputations, and addressing the long-standing demand for pay parity with central government doctors. The health department's budget allocation will be a key indicator of the government's approach to these challenges. Furthermore, the call for support for the families of healthcare workers lost to COVID-19 highlights the human dimension of public service. As the budget session commences, all eyes will be on the government's response to these critical needs, which are essential for maintaining and enhancing the public's trust in the state's healthcare infrastructure.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do Tamil Nadu doctors want more staff?
They say that new hospitals and health centers have opened, but not enough new people have been hired to work in them. This makes the current staff very busy.
Q: What about doctors' pay?
Doctors want their salaries to be the same as doctors working for the central government. They have been asking for this for a long time.
Q: Are other hospitals facing problems?
Yes, some hospitals in other countries have stopped hiring people or have let some workers go because of money problems.
Q: What do doctors want for families of those who died from COVID-19?
They want the government to help the families of healthcare workers who died while working during the COVID-19 pandemic.