3 Bhopal Hospital doctors continue hunger strike over unpaid salaries, PG stipends

Bhopal: Three doctors at Jai Prakash District Hospital in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, began a hunger strike on Wednesday over alleged delays in salary payments and unpaid postgraduate stipends. The protest entered its second day, with the doctors demanding the release of their pending dues and clarification regarding alleged salary deductions. 

The protesting doctors have claimed that their salaries had remained unpaid for around three months, while a postgraduate medical student among them has not received a stipend for five months. They have also raised concerns over deductions from their dues and arrears linked to stipend revisions over the past three years.

According to the doctors, a delegation from the Civil Surgeon’s office met them on Wednesday and assured them that one month’s salary would be released. However, they claimed that a subsequent check of their payment status showed that the promised amount had not been credited in full. The lack of clarity over the outstanding payments has prompted them to continue their agitation.

The doctors have demanded that the pending salaries and stipends be cleared and that the administration explain the alleged deductions and delays. They have also sought intervention to resolve the dispute, with the protest taking place on the hospital premises, Bhaskar English reported. 

Hospital Superintendent, however, has disputed the doctors' allegations. The administration has maintained that the doctors had proceeded on leave without prior intimation and that action was being considered in accordance with service rules. The superintendent has also questioned the decision to resort to a hunger strike, stating that the doctors should have taken up their grievances through the appropriate official channels.

The administration has said that hospital services have not been affected, as the protest involves only a small group of doctors and not the entire Family Medicine Department.

The standoff has brought the dispute over pending payments and duty-related grievances into focus, with the protesting doctors seeking a clear resolution and the hospital administration defending its position on service rules.