The Differently Abled Government Doctors Association has flagged a deviation from standard protocols in the counselling for doctors who have qualified in the recently conducted Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) examination.

Instead of prioritising differently abled doctors, the Health Department has scheduled the general counselling — which is set to begin on Saturday. It has not specified the date of counselling for differently abled doctors.

The association has represented the issue to the Health Minister, the Health Secretary, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine, the Member Secretary of MRB and the Commissionerate for Welfare of the Differently Abled.

It pointed out that there were MBBS doctors who applied under the differently abled category in accordance with government regulations, and who fulfilled the necessary requirements for postings. The government usually conducted the first day counselling for candidates under this category to ensure that they are given the opportunity to opt for their native place or somewhere near it. However, this time, the doctors’ results have been withheld and they have been called for counselling only at a later stage.

Prabhu M., State president of the association, called this deviation a significant disadvantage for doctors with disabilities. Proximity to their native place is essential for differently abled individuals to have access to necessary support systems, transportation and medical care. The association requested the department to conduct the counselling on priority for differently abled doctors.

He further said that the Health Department should ensure that differently-abled doctors were prioritised in counselling.Moreover, in the differently abled persons category, vacancies have been distributed for doctors with locomotor disabilities and severe learning disorders (SLD), he pointed out.

P. Saminathan, president of Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, said there may not be an adequate number of candidates in the SLD category to fill the vacancies. “It will be wrong to move the remaining vacancies to the general category. It will be prudent to convert the remaining vacancies for doctors with locomotor disabilities, and fill them up,” he said.

“The Health Department should prioritise differently abled doctors, and conduct the counselling for them first. This will empower differently abled doctors who need a posting near their place of residence,” he added.