Osmania Medical College: With no stipends for 7 months, first-year PG resident doctors plan to boycott duties

The first-year PG resident doctors of the college have planned to boycott their duties from September 12, if their stipends are not paid by the end of September 11 
This is what they say in the letter | (Pic: JUDA and EdexLive)
This is what they say in the letter | (Pic: JUDA and EdexLive)

Non-payment of stipends for months has stirred unrest in Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. The first-year Postgraduate resident doctors who joined the college in February 2022 have planned to boycott their duties from September 12 (Monday, next week), if their stipends are not paid by the end of this week (September 11). The Osmania Telangana Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) stated in a letter to the Principal of the college that they have not received the stipends for seven months.

“We cannot continue without funds for more than half a year,” says Dr Srikanth Sativada, President of Osmania JUDA. He informs that the medicos took up the issue with the principal several times, and she has done everything she could for the stipends to be processed. “It is the officials in charge who are at fault. They neglect their duties, make excuses and therefore, there is a delay,” the President said.

He said that the officials did not take their attendance properly nor filed the documentation required for processing the stipends. “They take fifteen days for a day’s work,” the doctor alleged. He also alleges that the lack of communication between themselves, as well as between them and the higher authorities is the root of the problem. “If an official faced issues while collecting attendance, they should report it to higher authorities rather than delaying the process,” he said.

Dr Srikanth informs that when the association members went to meet the Principal, P Sashikala Reddy, she understood their problems and assured them that she would try her best and disburse their stipends by the end of this week. He also states that they did not want to take the step of boycotting duties, but the stipends have been delayed for far too long and they are left with no other option. “Delay for a month or two is acceptable, but now doctors have been working hard for so long and they are struggling to pay even for food,” he states.

Meanwhile, Dr Karthik Nagula, State President of Telangana JUDA explains, “Several representations have been sent regarding regularisation of stipends to the authorities including the DME (Directorate of Medical Education), but they have received no response so far.” He also states that the problem is the worst at Osmania Medical College, as the stipends for a month or two have at least been disbursed for PG resident doctors at Gandhi and other medical colleges of the state.

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