Mysuru: For the first time, the district health department has selected six specialist doctors through the online bidding process. These doctors so selected will be posted in government hospitals. Currently, there are 12 vacancies for specialist doctors in government hospitals across the district. With all the previous attempts to recruit specialists not yielding desired results, the district health department had resorted to online bidding–a process wherein doctors are free to quote a pay package and negotiate their salaries.
As many as 91 aspirants applied for the posts of 12 specialist doctors, of which 21 attended counselling. The district health committee managed to appoint six specialist doctors, who will be given a basic monthly salary of Rs 1.10 Lakh, coupled with a variable component–a target variable incentive of up to Rs 70,000 each month.
One of the applicants for the specialists’ posts, reportedly sought a monthly salary of Rs 5 lakh. However, the committee rejected the offer, since there were no provisions to pay such an enormous sum. The selected doctors will be given their offer letters either on Monday or Tuesday. Two gynaecologists and as many anaesthesiologists, a paediatrician and a radiologist have been selected by the department. While the newly constructed government hospital at Nanjangud will get a gynaecologist, anaesthesiologist, paediatrician and radiologist, hospitals at K R Nagar and Periyapatna will be allotted an anaesthesiologist and gynaecologist respectively.
With some of the specialists demanding a monthly salary of over Rs 2 Lakh, their applications have been sent to the government for perusal. Meanwhile, many specialist doctors who have been working at government hospitals for nearly a decade are earning a salary of Rs 1.1 Lakh while those chosen through online bidding–even the freshers–are likely to start on a monthly salary of more than Rs 1.5 Lakh. A proposal has been sent to the government to provide performance-based incentives to those already working.
“Six specialist doctors, who met our criteria, have been selected and will be appointed on a contract basis. Their names have been sent to the government for approval. We have also sent a proposal to the government to provide performance based incentive to specialist doctors who have already been hired on contract basis. Applications of some specialists who asked for a monthly salary of more than Rs 2 Lakh, have been sent to the government,” said District Reproduction and Child Health Officer Dr. S Gopinath.
Disparity in salary a cause of concern:
Interestingly, specialist doctors appointed on a permanent basis are paid a basic pay of Rs 38,000, though their entire monthly salary comes up to nearly Rs 1 Lakh. A few specialist doctors at government hospitals are miffed over the disparity in pay. They said they would legally fight if there were further differences in the emoluments.
Doc gets more through bidding process:
Dr. Vikram, the radiologist selected through the bidding process, said, “I am currently working in Kerala and am getting Rs 96,000. I tried my luck with the online bidding process and demanded a salary of Rs 2.5 Lakh, but after negotiations, I am ready to work for Rs 1.7 Lakh. The bidding process was very good and helped me get a better salary.”
Quality should not be compromised:
Dr. Gayathri, Anaesthesilogist, currently working on a contract basis at the Community Health Centre at Jayanagar, said, “We are overburdened, and in need of specialists but we must not compromise on quality when we use the bidding process. Now, we are being paid a monthly salary of Rs 1.1 Lakh including all incentives, but those getting selected will be getting much more.”
