Memo on faculty staffing in govt medical colleges kicks up a row

Hyderabad: A latest decision of the Health department to absorb only non-teaching doctors working in various PHCs as the teaching faculty in the government medical colleges is leading to a fresh row.

Doctors from Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) are understandably peeved at this development.

And so also teachers from DME side, who join with MBBS qualification but are later absorbed into Assistant Professor posts after completing PG and a few years of service.

According to the doctors, the memo issued by the Health department is in violation of GO 154 issued in the combined State, under which eligible doctors from both wings-Directorate of Health and also Vaidya Vidhana Parishad were allowed to be absorbed into the DME side.

The Assistant Professor vacancies in teaching hospitals are filled in a way that some percentage is filled through direct recruitment (written test and interview) while some doctors (completing PG) from both DH and VVP are also absorbed as Assistant Professors.

According to Pallam Praveen of the Telangana Government Doctors Association, the fresh decision of the Health department is nothing but discrimination against the doctors from VVP.

"Government has taken unilateral decision on DME surrenders and issued a memo which is against the GO 154.

This is undemocratic and nothing but closing the doors on VVP doctors and DME CAS (Civil Assistant Surgeons) and teachers who want to become Assistant Professors which is a dream of every broad specialist doctor working in the government sector," he said.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Government Doctors Association has decided to hold an urgent meeting on Monday to discuss on this issue and also meet the Health Minister to express their concerns.