Gujarat Hikes Honorarium for Visiting Doctors

Gandhinagar, Gujarat – In a significant move aimed at strengthening public healthcare services across the state, the Gujarat government has announced a substantial increase in the honorarium for visiting doctors. This crucial decision, taken during a recent state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel under the ambitious CM Setu scheme, will see daily payments to medical professionals soar, ensuring better access to specialized care for citizens.

The salary hike impacts a wide range of medical professionals, including visiting specialist doctors serving in district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, and community health centers. Furthermore, the daily honorarium for visiting surgical and non-surgical super specialist doctors operating in government and GMERS-run medical colleges has also been significantly revised upwards.

“This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to providing quality healthcare to every citizen, especially in remote areas,” stated Spokesperson Minister Rushikesh Patel, while elaborating on the cabinet’s decision. “By increasing the honorarium, we aim to attract more highly qualified specialists to serve in our public health facilities, bridging critical gaps in medical expertise.”

Under the revised structure, all types of private visiting specialist doctors serving in district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, and community health centers across the state will now receive ₹4,200 per day for a minimum of three hours of mandatory service. This is a substantial increase from the previous rates, where pediatricians and general physicians were compensated ₹3,000 per day, and other specialist doctors received only ₹2,000 per day as honorarium.

The hike is particularly impactful for super specialists, who play a critical role in complex medical cases. Visiting non-surgical super specialists working in hospitals affiliated with government medical colleges and GMERS-run medical colleges were previously paid ₹8,500 per day after three hours of compulsory service. Surgical super specialist doctors, however, were compensated a mere ₹2,700 per day. This disparity has been rectified, with both surgical and non-surgical super specialists now set to receive a uniform and enhanced ₹8,500 per day for a minimum of three hours of compulsory service.

“This revised honorarium for super specialists is a game-changer,” commented Dr. Alok Gupta, a senior surgeon at a government hospital. “It not only recognizes the high level of expertise and demand for their services but will also encourage more private practitioners to dedicate their time to public hospitals, ultimately benefiting countless patients who cannot afford private care.”