HT has reported that the interns on Friday threatened to intensify their protest by disrupting the out-patient department (OPD) services if their monthly stipend was not increased.
Currently, the MBBS interns at PMCH are receiving approximately Rs 20,000 as a monthly stipend. They are demanding for a hike in the stipend amount from Rs 20,000 per month to Rs 40,000 per month.
The intern doctors have claimed that the State Government had last revised their monthly internship allowance back in 2022, with an assurance to revise it again after three years. However, it has allegedly not been done so far.
The Junior Doctors have warned to intensify their protest by closing OPD services across all medical colleges of Bihar from Tuesday if there is no hike in the stipend amount. However, the demonstration held by the students on Friday was reportedly peaceful.
Issuing a statement, the JDA said, "As a next step, we may intensify our protest and close OPD services across all medical colleges of Bihar from Tuesday, which could severely impact healthcare services in the state, if the Bihar government continues to ignore our demands."
Commenting on the matter, the interns said, "Our fight is not just for money, but for respect and survival."
The interns are urging the State to take immediate action to revise the stipend structure and bring Bihar at par with other States. They have claimed that the amount they received as stipend is less when compared to other States. Even there is disparity with the autonomous government institutes within the state like the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and the Centre’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), both in Patna.
The MBBS interns at IGIMS get Rs 30,000 as a monthly stipend, while those at AIIMS get Rs 32,000. However, the MBBS interns across 10 other medical colleges under the Bihar government get a monthly stipend of around Rs 19,600. One of the protesting students pointed out that the intern doctors in West Bengal and Odisha get Rs 43,000 and Rs 40,000 per month respectively.
"We have not received any response despite repeated appeals, including formal letters to the health minister and the health secretariat," said the JDA, which has been pursuing the matter.
Also Read: Imphal: JNIMS MBBS Interns Launch Indefinite Protest Demanding Stipend hike
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