33 percent medical colleges fail timely stipend payments, 11 percent resident doctors feel unsafe: MARD Survey

Mumbai: Medical colleges across Maharashtra are operating under compounded conditions, including inadequate security, unsafe living quarters, delayed stipends, and poor hospital infrastructure, a recent survey conducted by the Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) revealed.

The survey was conducted across 18 government medical colleges in Maharashtra, including GGMC &Sir JJH Mumbai, GMC Nagpur, GMCH Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, BJGMC Pune, VDGMC Latur, IGGMC Nagpur, RCSM GMC Kolhapur, MPGIMER MUHS Nashik, GMC Akola, GMC Gondia, GMC Miraj, VMGMC Solapur, Rajiv Gandhi Medical College, KMSK GMCH Chandrapur, PAH GMC Baramati, SBHGMC Dhule, DR.SCGMC Nanded, and SVNGMC Yavatmal. It highlighted the conditions affecting 5,800 healthcare professionals across these 18 institutes.

It revealed a consistent 25% shortfall in authorized security personnel. While 200 guards are sanctioned per hospital, an average of 150 guards are deployed. There is also a shortfall of at least 15 guards persisting in each operational area- specifically in OPD/Casualty, Wards, Hostels, and College Campus- compounding risks across multiple high-traffic zones. According to the results, most colleges rely on MSF (72%), followed by MESCO (16%), and private firms (12%), yet widespread administrative and agency delays continue to affect deployment.

As per the survey results, inadequate security and infrastructure have produced identifiable, measurable impacts on resident doctor safety, working conditions, and mental health. Risk of violence to resident doctors, incidents targeting healthcare workers, and incidents of assaults following patient outcomes have increased. There are also instances of unauthorized access to hostel areas, creating a risk of stalking and privacy breaches.

The survey also highlighted other operational failures and how it impacts living conditions of resident doctors. "The survey reports that 50% of resident doctors lack hostel accommodation, forcing them to travel unsafe distances to and from hospitals at odd hours. Among those housed on campus, many face: Pest infestation, stray animals, and structural hazards Poor sanitation, water scarcity, and frequent power cuts Non-functional mess facilities (in ~50% institutions) No gender-separated hostels, compromising female resident safety," a release by Central MARD mentioned.

Another issue that the survey has highlighted is the delay in the payment of stipends. It revealed that 1 out of 3 colleges fail to pay stipends by 10th of each month. Due to this, the already overworked (80+ hour duty weeks) resident doctors are being pushed to financial instability, debt, and unsafe compromises, including inadequate transport and accommodation.

Discussing the psychological impact of the poor infrastructure, safety protocols, delayed payments etc. on resident doctors, the survey revealed that the residents are working in fear. Reportedly, only 39% of residents feel safe at work, while 50% feel only partially safe and 11% feel unsafe. "This chronic insecurity has contributed to heightened stress, burnout, and impaired decision-making among resident doctors," the release by central MARD stated.

Allegedly, half of the colleges that submitted formal complaints reported zero action from administrators and repeated assurances have not translated into improvements in issues like- security deployment, hostel repairs, timely stipends, basic hospital infrastructure. This gap between commitments and execution reflects a systemic failure, not resource scarcity, the survey results revealed while explaining administrative inaction.

"Medical institutions are meant to be healing spaces. They cannot fulfill this mission when their own healthcare workers operate in persistent fear, live in inadequate conditions, work without financial security, and rest in unsafe spaces. Resident doctors are not primarily concerned with luxury—they seek basic safety, decent accommodation, timely pay, and adequate facilities. These are not privileges; they are baseline requirements for human dignity and safe patient care," the survey stated.

Referring to the survey results, Central MARD called upon the Government of Maharastra, DMER, and institutional leadership to take urgent, time-bound action including an immediate implementation of sanctioned security staffing across all medical colleges within 90 days, mandatory hostel allotment for all resident doctors, with gender-segregated facilities and functional mess services, strict enforcement of monthly stipend disbursement, with penalties for delayed institutions, infrastructure upgrades including safe restrooms, sanitation improvements, and adequate amenities, and a transparent mechanism for administrations and security providers. It has also demanded a statewide mandatory minimum security standards with zero tolerance for violence against healthcare workers.

Commenting on the matter, Central MARD mentioned in a statement, "Resident doctors are not asking for luxury—only for basic safety, decent living conditions, timely stipend, and essential infrastructure. These are the minimum requirements for delivering safe patient care. The data is clear. The crisis is real. We urge the Government to act before another tragedy forces action."

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