Federation of Medical Practitioners Associations national president Raja Siddartha on Tuesday urged both the Union and State governments to recognise the services of medical practitioners and ensure priority for them in jobs at village clinics that are being set up in Andhra Pradesh as well as other States.
Community Rural Medical Practitioners Association organised a meeting in Vizianagaram to discuss the issues of the RMPs. Mr. Siddartha said that it was unfortunate that successive governments have failed to recognise the contributions of 44,000 RMPs in the State, who possessed invaluable experience in ensuring primary healthcare for people living in villages.
Federation working president G.S. Prasad and general secretary Kambala Babu Rao sought payment of honorarium to RMPs across the State. Federation additional secretary Jangam Joshi said that many RMPs were leading pathetic life in the absence of social welfare measures for them as the government was not extending many schemes to them.
The Association district leaders Gedda Chiranjeeva Rao, general secretary A.A.N. Sarma urged the government to ensure certificate courses and training for RMPs so that their services would be utilised in a proper way. Mr. Chiranjeeva Rao said that the rural practitioners were facing harassment from many people due to the lack of government recognition and support.
Participating in the afternoon session, Vizianagaram MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy assured hat he would take their issues to the notice of the Chief Minister. He said many poor patients were able to get treatment thanks to the services of RMPs in villages. Lok Satta Party State president Bhisetti Babji urged the government to look into the girevances of RMPs on a priority basis.
