The Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors’ Association (APGDA) has sought an immediate halt on the proposal of the State government pertaining to large-scale transfer of doctors across the State, saying that sudden displacement would not only cause problems to the doctors, but also inconvenience to the patients.
Addressing the media on Monday, APGDA State secretary general Pidakala Syam Sundar said that some officials in the Health Department had given a ‘wrong feeding’ to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy that government doctors were not attending to their duties and were only interested in private practice.
He wondered if that was so why had so many government doctors and staff working in hospitals had succumbed to the COVID-19 infection in the last two years.
“We have lost arrears, payable for the last five years in the PRC, but we did not protest. Despite this, some officials in the Health Department spread falsehood about government doctors. Those who want transfer to their native places or have some problems can be transferred, but not en masse, just because they have completed five years at one place,” Dr. Syam Sundar said.
Referring to the Supreme Court judgment on transfer of government employees that it should not be done during February or March, he said the academic year of their children would be affected.
“Doctors seeking transfer to their native places as their spouses are working there or have aged parents to look after are being denied and they are getting transferred to other places,” he said.
He explained that an estimated 60 to 70% of the doctors would be moved out, if the transfers were effected. This would inconvenience poor patients, who would not be in a position to afford expensive treatment at corporate hospitals. The transferred doctors would be eligible for a week joining leave and the critical departments like orthopedic, trauma care, NICU and emergency ward would not have adequate doctors to deal with them.
He appealed to the authorities concerned to discuss the matter with the Association before effecting the transfer and also appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider the decision as the doctors were fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
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