The Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) on Tuesday appealed to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and the State Health minister, Deepak Sawant, to not use elections and model code of conduct as excuses in releasing the stipends of resident doctors and hiking them.
The Central MARD has stated in a letter issued on Thursday that they will launch a State-wide agitation if the issue of stipends is not cleared in the coming days.
Resident doctors from Maharashtra have been protesting against stipend irregularities for several months. In December last year, doctors from medical colleges in Nagpur and Aurangabad staged a silent protest by sporting black ribbons on their arms. Showing solidarity, resident doctors from Sion and KEM Hospitals in Mumbai, set up fruit stalls outside college campuses. Doctors from J.J. and Nair Hospitals sported black ribbons as well.
“In a meeting on January 1 with the State Minister for Medical Education and Water Resources, Girish Mahajan, we were promised an assurance letter regarding the hike in our stipend, but we have not received that either. We are being told that the hike will take place only after the elections,” Dr. Kalyani Dongre, president, Central MARD said.
According to the association, doctors from the government medical colleges in Nagpur, Akola, Latur and Ambejogai have not received their stipends for over three months. “The cumbersome nature of [a medical professional’s] work is poorly awarded considering the heap of work and efforts taken by residents doctors. [The authorities] are challenging our patience and taking us for granted. We are not beggars, We are demanding what is ours, what we deserve and what is promised,” the letter read.
“Stipends of resident doctors from peripheral colleges have not reached them. Many have families to run and have to send money back home. This is putting immense financial and psychological strain on doctors,” Dr. Dongre said.
The doctors said that the college administrations and the DMER have been passing around the buck. “While the colleges say they do not have funds, the DMER has been giving us the same reason, and that of the model code of conduct. What we do not understand is that if the administration has no funds, how are the other doctors and hospital staff getting their salaries?Why do only resident doctors have to suffer?” she said.
Meanwhile, Tatyarao Lahane, director, DMER said, “The funds we were receiving have fallen short due to an increase in the number of doctors. We are trying to resolve this at the earliest. About the stipend hike, since the model code of conduct has been applied, we cannot make the appeal to the government before May 23.”
