Amid COVID-19 pandemic, AYUSH doctors and pharmacists working under the National Health Mission (NHM), Manipur ceased work and held a sit-in protest at Keisampat Leimajam Leikai community hall in Imphal on Thursday, violating the COVID-19 protocol of social distancing.
AYUSH doctors and pharmacists are demanding equal pay for equal work as the salary for allopathic doctors, saying their salary was doubled without any justification in 2010-11.
Speaking to the media, All Manipur AYUSH doctor’s association publicity secretary Khagenbam Gopeshor said that the ultimatum served on the authorities through memorandum had asked them to provide pay equal with allopathy/MBBS medical practitioners.
The AYUSH medics also told the authorities that they would call for a cease work strike from June 22 if the latter fails to come out with a positive response at the earlier. Due to COVID-19 situation, a cease work strike could not be commenced from June 22.
Gopeshor said all the AYUSH staff under NHM, Manipur had been rendering their services to the public, not less than that of the allopathy doctors and pharmacists under NHM, Manipur.