Uncertain about future, say doctors, staff of Mohalla Clinics; hold sit-in at Delhi Secretariat

Indian Express

2 days ago

At least 580 doctors and staff, who worked at Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) flagship Mohalla Clinics, on Monday held a silent protest outside the Delhi Secretariat and sought clarity on whether they can continue to work at Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandir. The public healthcare centres were rebranded by the BJP after it came to power in February.
In an interview with The Indian Express last week, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh, amid prevailing concerns among the staff of the Mohalla Clinics, had said, 'We have staff in the Arogya Mandirs, which are ready for the launch, but we are planning to absorb the existing staff of Mohalla clinics. I have discussed this with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. They will have to reappear in an exam, and those who fulfil the criteria will get the jobs.'
On Monday, as the Mohalla clinics remained shut, the doctors and staff held a sit-in outside the Delhi Secretariat till evening, saying they were uncertain about their future. The written orders from officials have contradicted the CM's assurances at her Jan sunwai camps that the staff will be absorbed at Arogya Mandirs, they claimed. Officials concerned could not be reached for a response on the latest demonstration.
'Even the Health Minister said that those who fit the criteria under the National Health Mission will be hired…Some of the staff members have also been asked to sit at home while permanent employees from various hospitals have been transferred to their clinics,' said Jitendra Kumar, president of the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMC) union.
Some doctors and staff members were called inside the Delhi Secretariat, where they met Health Minister's OSD Vaibhav Rikhari, and they submitted a memorandum, he added.
The doctors said that they had cleared the examination of the Delhi government, after which they were selected for the Mohalla Clinics, where they have been working for the last eight years. They said that all the staff at Mohalla clinics should be transferred to Ayushman Arogya Mandir without any service disruption.
'Following the Assembly elections earlier this year, the staff have not been given salaries. Recently, an MOU (memorandum of understanding) of conditional extension of a maximum of one year or earlier was provided,' read the memorandum submitted by the doctors.
They said minutes of the meeting, dated April 17, signed by the Health Minister and the Special Secretary, are cause for concern.
'Our problems are linked to the process of shifting from Delhi State Health Mission (DSHM) to National Rural Health Mission, fear of new eligibility criteria, and no clear-cut document for the smooth shifting of 100% of doctors and staff. The government, on one end, keeps its staff happy by paying them regular increments and promotions and dearness allowance… but on the other end, inhuman treatment is meted out to contractual professional staff of AAMC. After working for over eight years in AAMC, without any increment, we are on the verge of termination of our services at one stroke. Our OPD, linked to remuneration, is jeopardised by poor supply of drugs,' it further added.