Demand for govt action as Rajasthan resident doctors face Excessive duty hours, irregular stipend

Jaipur: Demanding an immediate resolution for the grievances of resident doctors in Rajasthan, a doctors' body recently wrote to the Commissioner of the Rajasthan Medical Education Department.

The issues that have been highlighted in the letter include excessive work hours, lack of hostels and infrastructure, irregular payment of stipends, disruptions in academic activities, and security issues.

In the letter, the National President of Doctors Welfare Federation (DWF), Dr. Chandraveer Singh, highlighted some sensitive issues requiring immediate intervention. "Resident doctors working in various medical colleges and affiliated hospitals in the state are the backbone of the state's healthcare system. Working around the clock, under pressure from emergency services, and with limited resources, these doctors are continuously providing life-saving services to the public. However, there are currently several serious problems causing resident doctors immense mental, physical, and social stress," mentioned the letter.

Dr. Singh pointed out that often the resident doctors have to work for 24-36 hours continuously, which is contrary to the National Medical Commission (NMC) or National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) standards. DWF argued that such strenuous duty hours not only affects the health of the doctors but also adversely impact the safety of the patients.

Another issue they highlighted was the lack of hostels and infrastructure. According to the letter, the condition of hostels in many colleges is extremely poor, as the drinking water is inadequate, there is poor sanitation and inadequate security and maintenance. DWF argued that these conditions make it difficult to provide quality services.

The association also pointed out the issue of irregular payment of stipends. It said, "Many institutions are constantly receiving complaints of unnecessary delays in stipend payments. This negatively impacts the financial and mental health of resident doctors."

Further, DWF alleged that regular classes, thesis work, and other academic activities do not receive adequate time, which impacts the quality of their education. Apart from this, in the letter, the association also pointed out that incidents of doctor attacks are frequent in many hospitals and resident doctors feel insecure due to a lack of security guards and a lack of SOPs.

Urging the State Medical Education Department to intervene, the association has demanded that the resident doctors' duty hours should be regulated in accordance with NMC guidelines, instructions should be issued to improve hostels and basic facilities in all medical colleges, stipend payments should be ensured on time every month, a balance should be established in the duty pattern, prioritizing academic activities, and the Doctors' Protection Act should be strictly enforced in all hospitals.

"Resident doctors in Rajasthan are the most important pillar of the state's medical system. Protecting their interests and resolving their problems is not only the government's responsibility, but is also crucial for patient safety and strengthening the state's health services," mentioned the letter.

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