FORDA writes to Mandaviya in respond to request for risk hazard allowance for resident doctors

New Delhi: The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) sent a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday, requesting that resident doctors be given a risk hazard allowance.
The association stated in the letter that resident doctors make up a significant portion of the country’s healthcare workers, with many of them becoming infected with or succumbing to COVID-19 while serving on the front lines in the last two years.

“Through this letter, we once again wish to bring to your notice, the long-pending demand of risk hazard allowance for resident doctors. Though we had submitted our representation regarding the same twice on January 31, 2020, and March 6, 2020, at the onset of COVID-19 Pandemic followed by another representation on January 10, 2022, after dealing with subsequent waves of the Pandemic, there has been no positive response from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) yet,” reads the letter.

“It is pertinent to mention that as per OM No. Z.28015/119/2012-H dated 18/09/2019 issued by MoHFW (Hospital-II Section), Government of India, Hospital Patient Care Allowance (HPCA)/Patient Care Allowance (PCA) under R1H3 cell of Risk & Hardship Matrix of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) is implemented for Allied healthcare professionals,” the letter added.

The association noted in the letter that though risk hazard allowance is provided to employees/staff in other sectors and doctors should also be entitled to the same.

“We would hereby once again request you to kindly take note of the demand of risk

hazard allowance and take necessary measures for implementing the same,” added the letter.