Resident doctors of the hospitals attached to the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), including K.R. Hospital, one of the major public healthcare providers in the region, went on an indefinite agitation on Monday demanding higher stipend.
Arguing that the stipend being paid by the State government to resident doctors (postgraduate students and house surgeons) was paltry, over 450 resident doctors staged a demonstration outside the K.R. Hospital premises and went took out a procession.
They later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. They were responding to a call by the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD), Bengaluru, for a State-wide agitation.
After the procession, the protestors returned to the hospital and continued holding a peaceful dharna.
Nandan, a representative of the striking doctors, told The Hindu that the doctors had to launch the agitation since the government did not heed to its persistent demand.
The State government was paying a consolidated stipend of Rs. 15,000, Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000 per month to house surgeons, postgraduate students and super-speciality residents respectively. With the present rate of inflation, the consolidated stipend was paltry, the striking doctors said. “Our colleagues in States like Delhi and Maharashtra are working for fixed hours and getting a higher stipend than that of ours. The Karnataka resident doctors are the least paid residents in the country,” they said.
Since last 3 years and 9 months, the State government has not revised the stipend. The Association has sought a stipend of Rs. 20,000 for house surgeons; Rs. 40,000 for postgraduates and Rs. 50,000 for super-speciality doctors.
Junior doctors go on strike
seeking higher stipend
* Demand graded pay similar to other states and periodical revision
* The stipend was last revised three years and nine months ago, claim the striking docs
