Last Updated on May 29, 2022 by The Health Master
CHENNAI: Battling a huge number of Covid-19 cases, Greater Chennai Corporation has floated tenders worth 20 crore to hire doctors and nurses for a period of 11 months.
In a bulletin issued last week, the corporation said it required 121 doctors for primary health centres, mobile medical units as well as health centres in Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Valasaravakkam, Perungudi, Kannagi Nagar and Injambakkam.
The tender is for identifying contractors who can supply doctors for a period of 11 months at a rate of Rs 6.36 crore. Similarly, the civic body has called for agencies which can supply 382 auxiliary nursing midwife for a period of 11 months. This tender is worth Rs 7.9crore.
In the third such tender, the corporation has called for agencies who can supply 348 staff nurses for mobile medical units, primary health centres and other units. It is worth Rs 7.16crore. The tenders will be opened on July 22 at 3:30pm.
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Civic body sources said this was being done to fight the pandemic and they may not be needed a year later. “The corporation will have to pay a consolidated salary if they are hired on a fulltime basis,” a source said. Since the tender value had crossed Rs 1 crore, this could not be taken up on a quotation basis and a transparent tender had to be called for, the source added.
Social activist Jayaram Venkatesan said it is better if the corporation hires doctors and nurses on a permanent basis. “Temporary doctors are paid around ?40,000 per month. In PHCs, permanent doctors are paid around Rs 47,000-Rs 50,000. What is the use of paying almost the same amount to a temporary staff? There is not much of a saving and having a permanent staff also increases accountability,” Jayaram said.
Civic body documents show around 200 medical officers, many of whom are on contract and some on deputation from the Directorate of Public Health have been posted to all zones already.
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