NHRC seeks report from Odisha chief secretary on AYUSH doctors
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to Odisha Chief Secretary on AYUSH doctors appointed at more than 13,000 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC). This direction came after rights body 'India Media Centre' filed a petition before the commission.
The petitioner said that Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Naturopathy (AYUSH) doctors posted in PHCs and CHCs in Odisha are forced to work as Allopathic practitioners, as there is a shortage of MBBS doctors. AYUSH doctors are also forced to work as medical officers in single-doctor PHCs, violating the terms and conditions in Revised ToR of AYUSH Doctors recruited under NRHM.
They were rendering invaluable service in the most interior pockets, including the Naxal-hit regions, across 1,376 PHCs and CHCs under NRHM. But, practice as allopathic practitioners is illegal and could endanger human life, as they are not trained in Allopathic medicine treatment.
In many PHCs, there is very shortage of staff in the state. So government has appointed one AYUSH doctor to look after the PHC. In most of the PHCs and CHCs in the state, the medical officer posts were vacant and AYUSH doctors have forcefully prescribes allopathic medicines during emergencies, which is a serious risk for patients. Also, the AYUSH doctors are forced to do night duty alone and forced to prescribe allopathic medicines in emergency cases. It is serious violation of human rights, alleged the petitioner.
As state health department is the nodal agency for implementation of NRHM program including AYUSH doctors’ appointment in every state, the state Government must take necessary action. The NHRC has served notice to chief secretary to submit Action Taken Report within six weeks.
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