Osmania Telangana Junior Doctors Association to boycott services if they don't get their stipends

HYDERABAD: Telangana junior and senior resident doctors are suffering from mental trauma as a result of delayed stipends. Despite working long hours every day, government junior and senior resident doctors receive stipends every three to four months.

First-year postgraduate residents have been working since February 1, 2022, without being paid a stipend, according to the Osmania Telangana Junior Doctors Association. Despite many complaints and requests, they still haven't received their stipends. For the past seven months, they have been eagerly awaiting stipends.

If they do not receive their stipends within a week, the Osmania Telangana Junior Doctors Association has threatened to boycott their services.

After a six-month delay, the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) received their stipends in the month of July. This was only possible as a result of numerous protests and representations to Telangana Health Minister Harish Rao.

According to the Telangana Health Care Doctor Reforms Association (HRDA), regularisation of stipends for PGs and UGs is a long-pending issue because the government is still using the old method of payments, resulting in payment delays.

Dr K Mahesh, President, Telangana Heath Care Doctor Reforms Association (HRDA), told NewsTap, "Though regularisation of stipends for PGs and UGs have been a long-pending issue for over two decades, the government is still using the old method of payment of stipends, which requires a lengthy process and dual clearance by the finance department. The current government and DME have made no commitment to change the mode of payment of stipends directly from institutions. PG students approach loan sharks, take loans from finance companies, and pay exorbitant interest rates because their stipend is credited every 3-4 months."

Dr Karthik Nagula, President of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) said, "Despite working long hours, the problem of late stipend payments to house surgeons, junior residents, senior residents, and super speciality residents has existed for a long time. This issue has been presented to all relevant authorities throughout the hierarchy numerous times, but in vain. Despite the current post-covid economic conditions, senior residents have been receiving provincial services without compensation for the past eight months. They have gone on strike because the threshold has been crossed. We, TJUDAs, stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, and we urge the government to consider their three demands and work towards resolving the issues peacefully.

President of the Osmania Telangana Junior Doctors Association, Dr. S Srikanth, stated: "For the past seven months, postgraduate students in their first year have not released their stipends. Although we have escalated this issue to the administration section, there is still no resolution. After a week of waiting, we are hopeful that the relevant authorities will address our concerns soon. If not, we will boycott our services. "