868 junior doctors at CFLTCs set to resign over pay cut as Kerala reels under COVID

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Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 868 junior doctors, deployed at the COVID First-Line Treatment Centres (CFLTCs) in the state, have informed the government that they would resign on September 10.
They are resigning as they suffered a 20 per cent cut in their remuneration as part of the salary challenge.
These doctors joined the COVID centres on a temporary basis for three months. They were offered a salary of Rs 42,000. However, they were not given the salary on time.
After protests were raised, the payments were made, but Rs 8,200 was cut over the salary challenge. The doctors have complained that they were finally given only Rs 27,000 after tax deductions.
However, the doctors recruited by the National Health Mission are being given their full salaries.
Thus, protesting over the salary cut, the doctors led by the Kerala Junior Doctors' Association submitted the resignation letters to the government.
'Situation alarming'
The COVID-19 situation continues to be alarming in Kerala and 14 other states, as per the Centre's assessment of the disease spread in these regions in the third week of August.
The COVID positivity rate in Kerala during August 13-19 increased by 17.80 per cent compared to its previous week. This is the second highest rate in the country after Maharashtra.
The test positivity rate in the state in June was at 2.3 per cent. One in 42 people tested positive during this time. However, this rose to 4.8 per cent by July, i.e., one in 20 tested positive.
The test positivity rate in the state has increased from 2 per cent to 7 per cent. This can even rise up to 10 per cent by mid-September, as per the projection report of the Disaster Management Authority.
The report also pointed out that the daily number of patients will rise up to 5,000 by mid-September. But after that the numbers will decline.
A total of 1,547 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala on Wednesday, while 2129 recoveries were also reported. The COVID-19 death toll in the state has risen to 305. Currently, 21,923 people are undergoing treatment in Kerala, while 55,782 have recovered from the dreaded illness.
Crisis management meet begins
The crisis management group evaluation meet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has begun. The meet is being held to take stock of the situation and to resolve issues. The meet had not been held for more than three weeks. The disease spread was the most rampant in the state during this period.
14-day quarantine for returnees
The Kerala government has said that people coming to Kerala from other states will have to make the online registration and follow the 14-day quarantine norms.
Though the central government had withdrawn the travel pass for interstate journey, the state has decided to continue with the registration process via the COVID jagratha portal.
The registration was to track the passengers' details and ensure that they were in quarantine, the Disaster Management Authority has explained.
After the Centre eased several lockdown curbs, many states had either cut shorten or done away with the mandatory quarantine period. However, the Kerala government has decided against easing the quarantine norms due to the disease spread.
Those coming to Kerala for short visit will also have to follow quarantine norms.