Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctors Threaten State-Wide Agitation Amid Stipend Delays and Pay Disparity

Strategic Insights -

Facing systemic cruelty, Maharashtra's 5,000-strong Senior Resident Doctor Association (MSRDA) has served an ultimatum to the state government and Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) demanding regular stipend disbursement, equal pay for equal work, and a clear leave policy. The association's demands come as doctors at Grant government medical college, GMC Ambernath, and Chandrapur have not been paid since May, while some earn up to Rs. 30,000 less per month for the same work.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 5,000 senior resident doctors are affected by stipend delays, with some not being paid since May. The stipend delays have led to financial distress and burnouts among doctors.
  • Senior residents in peripheral hospitals, such as Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, receive a fixed monthly remuneration ranging from Rs. 64,000 to Rs. 66,000, while their counterparts in prominent hospitals earn over Rs. 90,000 per month.
  • The government's own resolution (GR) from March 4, 2024, mandates senior residents to be paid over Rs. 95,000 per month, but this GR has not been implemented yet.
  • The MSRDA has approached the BMC multiple times over the last few years, but the issue persists, and they are now planning a state-wide agitation.
  • Doctors like Dr. Abhijeet Hegle and Dr. Abhijeet Holambe have shared their personal struggles with stipend delays and pay disparity, highlighting the urgent need for a solution.
  • Senior residents are required to complete a mandatory one-year service at a hospital allotted to them after their post-graduation, or pay a fee to avoid the service.
  • The MSRDA has appealed for a regularisation of stipend payments, abolition of stipend disparity across BMC and DMER institutes, and a clear leave policy of 20 special leaves and 12 casual leaves annually.

Statistics:

  • Over 5,000 senior resident doctors are represented by the MSRDA.
  • Senior residents in peripheral hospitals receive a fixed monthly remuneration ranging from Rs. 64,000 to Rs. 66,000.
  • Senior residents in prominent hospitals, such as Cooper, Sion, Nair, and KEM, earn over Rs. 90,000 per month.
  • The government's GR mandates senior residents to be paid over Rs. 95,000 per month.
  • Senior residents have not been paid since May, with some waiting for up to three months.

Sources:

  • Hindustan Times: "Maharashtra senior resident doctors threaten state-wide agitation over pay, leave policy" (no date provided)