Gujarat Junior Doctors on Strike demanding stipend hike, Pending Arrears

Bhuj: The resident doctors at Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences (GAIMS) and GK General Hospital, Bhuj, have been on strike for the last four days over their demands for payment of the pending arrears and an increase in their monthly stipends.

These doctors have urged the authorities for an immediate increment of stipends for junior and intern doctors, in line with Gujarat government guidelines. Further, they have also requested the release of arrears along with the November stipend for all the affected doctors, effective from April 2024.

In every three years, the stipend for the MBBS interns and resident doctors is revised and increased. According to this rule, the doctors should have been given a stipend hike from April. However, this time, they have been given increments from October, sources at the Institute informed Medical Dialogues.

Writing to the authorities, the doctors referred to the NMC notification dated 6th September, 2023 (Post Graduate Medical Education Board - PGMEB, Clause 5.5), which mentions that "The post-graduate students undergoing post-graduate degree/Diploma/Super-Speciality course in all institutions shall be paid stipend at par with the stipend being paid to post-graduate students of State Government medical institutions in the State/Union Territory where the institution is located."

Also Read: Gujarat: Thousands of Resident Doctors Cease Work demanding stipend hike

They also relied on NMC UG Medical Education Board Directive dated 22nd April 2021 (Draft Regulations for CRMI 2021). Clause 6.3 of the said Regulations states that 'All Interns shall be paid a stipend as fixed by appropriate fee fixation authority applicable to the institution/university/state."

Further, the doctors pointed out that a Gujarat Government directive clearly outlines that the stipend structure for State Government medical institutions shall serve as a benchmark for other institutions in the State, including private entities.

While this is the 4th day of strike, sources at the institute informed Medical Dialogues that the students are yet to receive any positive response from the Adani management. Today, the representatives from the medical college also went to discuss the issue with the Health Secretary. 

Meanwhile, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has extended its support to the protesting medicos at GAIMS, Bhuj. Raising the issue, the association wrote in its X (formerly Twitter handle), "A clear defiance of the #Gujarat state MER & #NMC guidelines- @AdaniOnline owned #GAIMS not giving revised stipend & arrears to its Resident doctors. Is money a problem at @AdaniFoundation? Very strange! You can’t flourish if you treat your own like that!"

The National Secretary of FORDA India, Dr. Meet Gohnia, wrote in an X post, "Resident & Intern Doctors of GAIMS, Bhuj are on indefinite strike from last 3 days regarding non payment of revised stipend & arrears as per rules of Government of Gujarat. Stipend as per government rule is right of Doctors & Management should fulfill this. Request to @NMC_BHARAT @CMOGuj to look into this matter. We stand with Resident & Intern Doctors of GAIMS."

The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at PGIMS, Rohtak has also extended its support to the GAIMS medicos. It wrote, "@CMOGuj #nmc should to do right by the students We stand with @FordaIndia and residents of #GAIMS for their determination to raise voice!!!!"

Also Read: Rajasthan: 7000 resident doctors strike for stipend increase, bond policy changes, workplace safety