Telangana Junior Doctors announce Indefinite Strike over delay in stipend disbursement
Hyderabad: The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) has declared an indefinite strike commencing on June 24, citing delays in the disbursement of stipends and inadequate honorarium for Super Specialty Senior Residents as primary grievances.
In a formal letter addressed to the Director of Medical Education (DME), T-JUDA emphasized the need for prompt regularization of the "Green Channel" process and expedited clearance of pending stipends. The association stressed that consistent delays in stipend payments are causing financial distress among junior doctors and undermining their professional commitments.
The doctors demanded a G.O. on green channel and regularization along with a Memo from the Finance Department ensuring that stipends are credited within by 10th of every month. Since February the doctors asked DME to raise a proposal for the green channel but to no avail.
The honorarium for Super Specialty Senior Residents is another pressing concern highlighted by the association. T-JUDA insists that those who have completed their super-speciality training should be appointed to contract assistant professor roles with an appropriate salary of ₹1.25 lakh, effective from their official start date of January 1, 2024. The association argues that any failure to implement this measure will not only jeopardize the required one-year service commitment of these residents but also deprive them of essential financial benefits.
Talking to Medical Dialogues, Dr G. Sai Harsha, T-JUDA President stated, “In 2022 when Super Specialty Senior Residents were employed as Contract Assistant Professors, they were given ₹1.25 lakh but this year the notification did not clarify the terminology of assistant professors and clarified that they would be receiving Rs 920000. Failing to implement the previous notice, would not only compromise their one-year service but also deprive them of the monetary benefits they are entitled to.”
In the letter, the association stated, “As previously discussed with the Honorable Minister of Health, the existing hostel facilities in Osmania, Gandhi, and Kakatiya Medical Colleges are inadequate to accommodate the postgraduates. Although an oral assurance was given that place identification has been done, there has been no progress beyond that. We demand the allocation of a budget for these new hostels and the immediate laying of foundation stones for the buildings.”
“According to the new CBME curriculum, MBBS students are required to undertake field visits and students also has to participate in family adoption program. We asked for 57 new buses in 2022. However, few colleges are taking money from student to arrange transportation. New medical colleges have come up but there has not been sufficient development of infrastructure. With limited hostel facility, medicos have to find accommodation which is 10 km away as the hostel complex in majority of the new medical colleges and the affiliated Hospitals are not within the same campus. We demand immediate budget allocation and procurement of buses.”
Multiple representations have been made for the laying of roads in Kakatiya Medical College. It was assured by the Honorable Minister that the roads would be laid post-election code, but there has been no progress. “The current building of OGH is very old and poses a threat to both patients and doctors. The enclosed space increases the risk of infections. The building cannot be demolished as it comes under heritage building. Though authorities stated that land has been identified, no progress had been made yet. We demand the immediate laying of the foundation stone at the new site and the allocation of a budget for the new hospital building," added Dr Harsha.
