Every election season sees a notable number of doctors stepping into the electoral fray. Yet, when it comes to long-standing demands, doctors often find themselves at the margins of policy attention.
Tamil Nadu, despite its progress across several health indices, is no exception. Government healthcare professionals have long sought better pay scales, promotion opportunities, and workplace reforms, including more posts proportionate to patient load. With little or no progress on their demands, disappointment is palpable among a section of government doctors.
A doctor in Chennai said that, except for transparent transfer counselling, most key issues remain unaddressed, leaving government doctors “dissatisfied and feeling betrayed”. “Contrary to the promises of the State government, the number of posts were reduced through redeployment instead of being increased as per patient-doctor ratio, even as investment in infrastructure rose,” he added.
Transparent appointments through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) and setting up of new specialty departments are among the positives. “Going forward, decisions must include expert input, not just administrative views, and focus on strengthening manpower,” he added.
