Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) in a communique Saturday expressed its dismay over the persistent non-seriousness and the reticence of the successive governments in fulfilling its genuine and legitimate demands.
President DAK, Dr MY Tak said that veritable demands of doctors have been pending with the government for decades altogether. More than 40 meetings have been held so far with various higher officials at Directorate and Secretariat level. The results of the said meetings were limited to verbal assurances each time and no concrete steps have been taken so far to keep morale of the doctors high, added Dr Tak. He further said that the recently announced Covid incentives have also been given to only few sections of doctors, whereas each doctor is equally vulnerable and exposed to the same risk while on duty whether in covid or non covid area as the its super community spread and doctors with less precautionary measures are highly vulnerable. Also, the selection of the doctors for the incentives has been done on the basis of arbitrary choosing, without taking into account the situation on the ground level.
General Secretary DAK, Dr Owais H Dar said that demands like caderisation of Medical officers, Dental Surgeons and Consultants have been ignored despite the file being at final stage from last one year. Similarly demands like two and half day salary and particularly monthly risk allowances have not been met till now while doctors are practically risking their own lives, and putting their families in peril too. Apart from the Covid risk, doctors are susceptible to numerous other dangers while dealing with other infectious diseases like hepatitis B,C etc in a hostile milieu. He further said that it is rather unfortunate that the doctor fraternity has been failed by the administrators too, who whilst in positions of authority, and despite being doctors themselves, fail to project the fair demands of doctors to higher ups.
Doctors Association Kashmir appeals the LG, Manoj Sinha and Financial Commissioner H&ME, Atal Dullo to take a holistic view and fulfill the long pending demands of the doctors which are only genuine to say the least, to keep their morale in high esteem as they continue to work in arduous conditions.

KR Desk