PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
Demanding an increase in stipend, about 70 post graduate doctors and over 100 internship doctors staged a protest at the OPD building of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital on Tuesday. Resident Doctors Association president Dr Abhijeet Rathi said PG doctors began their protest outside the GDMC OPD building on Tuesday. He said they have been demanding a hike in stipend from around Rs 69,000 to Rs 1,25,000. Interns also raised a correspondingly similar demand.
In every other State, the stipend of PG doctors is raised every year, but there have been no hikes for years in the mountain State of Uttarakhand. He said they have boycotted work in OPD, wards and operation theatres (OT) at GDMC hospital. However, keeping patient care in mind, some PG doctors are providing services in the Emergency department. He said the authorities concerned and GDMC principal have been approached and have given verbal assurance. “The protest will continue till action is taken on our demands,” he added.
Intern doctors also raised similar demands. An intern doctor, not wanting to be named, said that they have been protesting from 10 AM to 3 PM since Monday and continued it on Tuesday. “We will continue till our demand is considered. We are demanding a hike in stipend from Rs 17,000 to Rs 30,000,” she said.
She said that a memorandum in this regard was earlier also submitted to the Health minister but no action has been taken yet. Due to low stipend, expenses like transport and food have become unmanageable, she added.
Both intern and PG doctors have boycotted OPD, ward and OT duties but are providing services in emergency. Notably, they claimed that similar protests are being held in every medical college of the State over the same demands.
BOX
Patients & attendants face hardship as protest blocks OPD entry at GDMC Hospital
DEHRADUN: The protest by PG and intern doctors at the entrance of the OPD building at Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital caused considerable inconvenience to patients and their attendants contrary to what doctors are meant to prevent, on Tuesday.
Patients and attendants said the ongoing protest has blocked the main entry to the OPD building, forcing them to take a longer route from the other side to enter the building.
Notably, over 100 intern doctors and around 70 PG doctors staged a protest at the OPD building on Tuesday demanding an increase in stipend. Amid this, many patients and attendants were seen facing difficulties in entering the building.
They urged authorities to look into the matter seriously to ensure ease and comfort of patients and visitors at the hospital.
