Dental surgeons who have been working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) on a temporary basis for 15 to 20 years, receiving a consolidated pay of ₹34,000, are demanding permanent jobs.
The Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, and Tamil Nadu PHC Dental Surgeons’ Association said, as per Indian Public Health Standards, each district headquarters hospital should have three dentists, taluk/non-taluk hospital must have two dentists, and each PHC, one dentist.
Based on this criterion, government hospitals under the Directorates of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine, and Medical and Rural Health Services should have over 3,000 dentists. However, only one-third of the required strength are currently employed, and over half of them have been hired on a contract basis.
At present, the State has nearly 478 permanent dental surgeons, while 544 dental surgeons are working on contract for a paltry salary, the association said in a press release.
In 2004, the DPH fixed a daily wage of ₹500 for dental surgeons. In 2009, they were brought under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Tamil Nadu. They have been working as temporary staff for the past 20 years. Among them, 20 have completed 20 years of service, 60 have completed 15 years, and 154 have completed 10 years.
