Chennai: The rollout of Aadhaar-linked ABHA registration in government hospitals has brought the State’s decade-old manpower crisis into sharper focus, with doctors and healthcare workers demanding regularisation of contractual appointments, equal pay for equal work and better recognition for specialist doctors, including those with BDS and MDS qualifications.
Doctors said the shortage of medical personnel has persisted for nearly 10 years, forcing both the Centre and the State government to rely on contract-appointed doctors instead of filling regular vacancies increasingly.
“Regularisation and equal pay for equal work are long-pending demands. Doctors appointed on contract are not getting the salary and service benefits applicable to regular employees. For nearly 10 years, the system has been managing shortages through contractual appointments,” a government doctor said.
According to doctors, the problem is not confined to specialists. Even MBBS doctors are in short supply, particularly in government hospitals handling heavy outpatient loads. The shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers has become more visible with increasing patient footfall and seasonal fever cases.
Doctors also alleged that BDS and MDS-qualified doctors, including those with specialisations, do not receive adequate recognition within the government healthcare system, despite their role in providing specialised dental care.
The introduction of ABHA registration through the Health Management Information System (HMIS) 3.0 has added another layer of documentation to an already crowded hospital system. While the digital health initiative is intended to create unique health IDs and facilitate electronic health records, doctors said its implementation without additional manpower could increase waiting time.
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