Telangana junior doctors demand 15% stipend hike, threaten to boycott medical services

Hyderabad: Referring to the unresolved issue of stipend hike, Junior doctors belonging to all the government medical colleges in Telangana are going to initiate a boycott of medical services from May 3, 2023.

Announcing this decision in a recent press release, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) has mentioned how the 15% stipend hike is due since January 2023.

The association further informed in the release that they had been given assurance that their issue regarding to stipend hike will be addressed in 15 to 20 days. Since the matter is still unresolved, the doctors will boycott all medical services from May 3, 2023.

"Hence, Junior doctors will be boycotting all the services except emergencies from 3rd May, 2023, if the issues with regards to stipends are not addressed by 2nd May, 2023," stated the release.

Apart from the Junior residents, MBBS Interns and Super-Speciality residents are also going to join the strike. However, the emergency services will continue to operate, the President of TJUDA, Dr. Kaushik Kumar Pinjarala informed Medical Dialogues.

He informed that according to a previous Government Order, the stipend of MBBS Interns, Postgraduate residents and Super-Speciality residents gets revised every two years. 

Also Read: NMC to conduct survey on medical college stipends, here is how MBBS, PG medicos can participate

The last hike was given to the doctors back in 2021 and currently, the first-year PG residents get around Rs 50,000, for second-year the amount of stipend is around Rs 53,000 and the third-year PG medical residents get around Rs 56,000.

Since the stipend was scheduled to be increased in January 2023, earlier the doctors had informed the authorities about the same. Responding to this, the government authorities had assured that the 15% stipend hike would be given with 15 to 20 days.

Referring to this, the Press Release mentioned, "We were also given assurance that our issue with regards to stipends and 15% hike will be addressed in 15 to 20 days. Therefore, the Junior Doctors had decided to hold the strike till 2nd May."

"A notice was given at the DME office on 11th April stating "Junior Doctors will go on strike from 3rd May, 2023 without any further notice" if the following issues related to stipends are not addressed..." the release added.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Kaushik added, "They are not telling us that the matter is under process. So, we are waiting until May 2nd and if the issue does not get resolved by then, we will be forced to initiate the strike. However, the emergency services will continue to operate."

"We have been demanding stipend hike from January 2023 and it has now been four months. We are only demanding our basic right because the Government itself had announced in a G.O that the stipend will be increased by 15% in every two years. Apart from this, they are also deducting TDS from our stipend and we are facing financial problems. So, 15% hike is very much necessary for us and the issue should be resolved at the earliest," he added.

"Otherwise, the MBBS Interns, Super-Speciality residents and PG residents of all the government medical colleges across the State will initiate strike from May," he further mentioned.

However, in the release, the Junior Doctors have thanked the government for addressing their concern regarding the District Residency Programme (DRP). Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the PG medicos were facing problems with accommodation, arrangements for food and fast away centres for completing their mandatory district residency programme.

In this regard, the recent Press Release mentioned, "We, junior doctors thank the government and the DME sir for addressing the issues with regards to DRP."

Speaking to Medical Dialogues in this regard, Dr. Kaushik added, "The issue has been resolved only on temporary basis as they have now provided us with hospitals near the college, till they arrange accommodations in the far-away districts."

Also Read: No arrangements for Food, Accommodation for Telangana PG Medicos undergoing District Residency Programme, Govt Intervention sought