The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association on Thursday told the state government that its doctors do not wish to avail of double basic salary for working in isolation wards, intensive care units and sampling units for Covid-19. In a letter to Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij, the association said that the benefit proposed by the state government would demoralise its whole cadre.

“As per the email received from the state headquarters, the benefit of double basic salary will be applicable to the doctors working at isolation wards, ICUs, and sampling for Covid,” association General Secretary Dr Rajesh Sheokhand said in the letter. “Giving benefit to few doctors will demoralise the entire HCMS cadre. In view of this, HCMS Association has decided not to take the double basic salary on this pattern.”

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The general secretary added that the doctors were involved in duties like screening, treatment, sampling, testing, active field surveillance, treatment at quarantine centres, treatment of migrant labour, isolation patient department, outpatient department and emergency services. He said that while the doctors posted at isolation wards, ICU and sampling sections were using personal protection equipment, the other doctors did not, exposing them to a higher risk of Covid-19.

Sheokhand said the association’s doctors had never demanded double salary, which was a proposal by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. “It is our moral duty to save the lives of ailing humanity,” he said. “We are ready to work even without double salary, but with proper safety gears like N95 masks and PPE kits to protect all the doctors out on duty.” The association demanded that the state provide the doctors with sufficient medicines and ventilators too.

Haryana has reported 205 infections of coronavirus so far, including three deaths, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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