Employees under the Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP), an organisation in charge of managing secondary-level hospitals in the state, held a mega protest in Hyderabad over their demands today, September 15. They also supported the Telangana Resident Doctors' Association's demand for a new Osmania Medical College and Hospital building.
Dr T Vinay Kumar, TVVP Joint Action Committee (JAC) said that they have been demanding for the status of government employees for the last seven months, but their requests have not been fulfilled yet. "We work for the government, we are recruited by the government, but we are not treated as government employees," he states, adding that they have intimated their problems to the government several times previously.
The TVVP employees are recruited by the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC). Those who qualify the recruitment exam, are either posted in the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) or TVVP. Those under the DME are treated as government employees, but those in hospitals are not. "As a result, we are unable to get any of the benefits enjoyed by the government employees. We are getting our salaries and pensions through grant-in-aid, but benefits of age hikes, pay revisions and health cards elude us. We are unable to secure any family-related benefits as well," Dr Kumar explains.
He adds that this is problematic and unfair not only for them, but for the students as well. "If we do not get the benefits and are comfortable in our positions, how will we be able to teach students properly?" the chairman questions. He also states that those MBBS students who get hired through the recruitment exam will end up being in the same disadvantaged position as TVVP employees are now, if the government doesn't resolve the issue soon.
According to Dr Kumar, the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh has already made VVP employees government employees. TVVP-JAC has received support from resident doctors and students as well.
Additionally, the doctors are demanding that the Osmania Medical College building be rebuilt soon. "Incidents of plaster falling over patients and water leakages are reported daily," informs Dr Kumar. He adds that on September 20, they will be holding a protest at Gandhi Medical College, and will be launching a continuous protest from September 21 onwards.
