Telangana junior doctors demand stipend, staffing, duty hour reforms, warn of statewide strike

Hyderabad: Upset over several pending issues related to stipends, staffing, infrastructure, hospital services, duty hours, and the security of doctors, junior resident doctors in Telangana have decided to go on a statewide strike.

Writing to the Director of Medical Education (DME), Hyderabad, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) said that the doctors had consistently raised these concerns through representations, meetings and follow-ups with the concerned authorities. However, several issues have remained unresolved.

The association warned that if the concerned authorities fail to address their concerns through concrete, time-bound and effective measures within a reasonable timeframe, the doctors would be compelled to initiate a strike across the state.

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The 5-point concerns raised by the association in the letter include:

Stipend Issues

The junior doctors in the letter, have expressed serious concern over continued and repeated delays in stipend payments and asked for a permanent and streamlined mechanism to ensure timely payment of stipends from the beginning of every month. Including this, the doctors also demanded appropriate revision of stipends at the earliest, considering the workload, responsibilities and clinical duties of Junior Doctors.

Infrastructure & Staffing

On infrastructure and staffing, T-JUDA has pointed to deficiencies in peripheral medical colleges and an acute shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff, particularly in pre-clinical and para-clinical departments.

Saying the deficiencies are affecting teaching, training, service delivery and academic activities, the doctors' body demanded filling of vacant sanctioned posts and other essential staffing requirements in Government Medical Colleges and Teaching Hospitals.

Along with this, it demanded effective implementation of the Medical College Monitoring Committee (MCMC) mechanism constituted under Telangana Government G.O.Rt.No.276, dated 19-06-2025, with specific review and time-bound action on staff vacancies and human-resource deficiencies in medical colleges.

T-JUDA has further raised concerns over inadequate hostel facilities and sought upgradation of essential facilities and working infrastructure across medical colleges and teaching hospitals.

Hospital & Emergency Services

On this issue, the association has demanded expansion of casualty and emergency working spaces according to patient load, timely availability of essential medicines and upgraded laboratory facilities with 24-hour services at tertiary-care centres.

"Addressing damaged roads and access-related issues, including the damaged road at MGMH, which is causing severe difficulty and distress during referral and transfer of critically ill and intubated patients," T-JUDA said in the letter.

Duty Hours & Working Conditions

It has also highlighted the inadequate working conditions and therefore demanded proper fixation and regulation of duty hours for postgraduate students and interns. It has also sought provision of at least one weekly off and appropriate post-duty rest after prolonged or night duties.

The association has called for clear demarcation of duties among postgraduate students, interns, nursing staff, hospital staff and other supporting staff to prevent the transfer of inappropriate responsibilities and excessive workload to junior doctors.

Security & Protection of Doctors

Amid the rising alleged violence against doctors, the junior doctors have demanded adequate and effective security, particularly in emergency and casualty areas, strict implementation of existing laws and appropriate action against incidents of violence against doctors and healthcare workers and uniform security protocols across Government hospitals to ensure a safe working environment for Junior Doctors.

"T-JUDA has consistently raised these concerns through representations, meetings and follow-up with the concerned authorities. However, several issues continue to remain unresolved, causing significant concern among the Junior Doctor fraternity. Therefore, T-JUDA hereby serves notice that, if the above issues are not addressed through concrete, time-bound and effective measures within a reasonable timeframe, T-JUDA will be compelled to consider collective STRIKE ACTION covering all the above issues. The proposed course of action will be taken collectively by the JUDA fraternity after due communication with the concerned authorities and in accordance with applicable procedures. T-JUDA requests the authorities to treat these matters with urgency and initiate immediate, concrete and time-bound action, particularly regarding stipend delays, staffing deficiencies, infrastructure, hospital services, duty hours and security of Junior Doctors," the letter added.

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