The Sindh government has proposed a special salary package worth Rs 2.9 billion for young doctors working in government medical hospitals. The Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah has revealed in his budget speech that proactive approach adopted by Government of Sindh to resolve the problems of young doctors, has avoided the conflicts that took place in other provinces on the same issue.
A committee constituted by the Chief Minister after dialogues with representatives of young doctors has worked out a comprehensive, reformative and adequate pay packages for medical doctors working in government medical hospitals. The proposed package includes increase in salary of House Job Officers from Rs 12,000/= to Rs 24,000/=, while the stipend of Post Graduates is proposed to be increased from Rs 12,000/= to Rs 42,500/=. Additional pay of Rs 15,000/= to medical officers of BS-17 and Rs 10,000/= for medical doctors of BS 18-20 is also proposed.
In addition, Non-Practicing Allowance for doctors in BS-17&18 is proposed to be increased from Rs 500/= to Rs 4,000/= and for doctors in BS-19&20 to be increased from Rs 700 to Rs 6,000/=. In order to encourage doctors to serve in rural areas, it is proposed to offer special and reformative package of Rural Incentive Allowance of Rs 6,000/= and Rs 8,000/= to doctors in BS-17&18 and BS-19&20, respectively. In recognition of laborious nature of job in casualty and trauma centers, it is proposed that Casualty Allowance of Rs 6,000/= per month to casualty medical officers and senior casualty medical officers may be allowed.
The doctors treating patients of infectious and contagious disease such as TB Swine flu, Bird flu, etc, are proposed to be allowed Rs 6,000/= per month as Hard-work Allowance. Further, a compensatory package of Rs 1.5 million for a family of doctors who fall victim of target killings and infectious diseases is proposed. The overall impact of these proposals is estimated at Rs 2.9 billion.
Another key initiative taken to redress the longstanding grievance of medical doctors is implementation of Four-tier and Three-tier formula under which 1,500 doctors of general cadre, dentist and specialist cadre are being promoted. Minister hoped that these incentives will increase the motivation level of doctors working in public sector hospitals and will better the quality of health services being delivered to citizens of this province.