Junior doctors from Osmania Medical College (OMC) have decided to indefinitely boycott Out-Patient (OP) services and elective surgeries from Wednesday, demanding payment of pending stipends.
Representatives of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA)-Osmania Unit said stipends to PG students (junior doctors) and super specialty course students (senior resident doctors) are pending since five and seven months respectively.
There are around 1,400 junior doctors and senior resident doctors from OMC who provide services at Osmania General Hospital and others attached to it, such as Niloufer Hospital and Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda. While ₹44,000 to ₹49,000 per month is paid as stipend to PG doctors, up to ₹53000 is paid to super specialty students.
Director of Medical Education Dr. K. Ramesh Reddy said the government has cleared funds for stipends in last financial year, which was transferred to all medical colleges. “Since some specialty departments at OMC did not submit attendance on time, cheques were not cleared. We are putting in all efforts to clear pending stipends. WE request junior doctors not to go on strike as it is not the government’s fault,” he added.
OMC principal Dr P. Shashikala said issue with submission of attendance is resolved and that they will meet finance officials to get pending cheques cleared.