Senior resident doctors deployed on COVID-19 duty in Telangana yet to receive salaries

HYDERABAD: Senior resident doctors recruited by the government healthcare facilities across Telangana in July this year to meet the emergency situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, are yet to get receive their salaries.

It is learnt that nearly 1,200 senior speciality residents are yet to get their salaries of Rs 70,000 per month for the last three months. These doctors did their post graduation from government medical colleges and were recruited back into the system on a one-year contract, especially to assist in COVID-19 duties.

"We joined on July 28 and are yet to receive our salaries. While we are used to such delays, what makes it tougher is that it is coupled with the pandemic this time," added one of the senior resident doctors from a government healthcare facility.

He explained how the students were allotted hospitals in a random manner and were not given an option to choose the location.

"Usually Senior Residency gives the students couple of choices as to where they would like to work and based on marks the hospital is assigned. However, that option was not given and most doctors are working away from their homes and facing accommodation related problems," he added.

Meanwhile, in Gandhi Hospital senior residents are running around rectifying their biometric data.

"We have to scan iris or give finger impressions, which is unsafe. These machines often don't register the log in or log out, owing to which we have to take a print out of attendance, get it attested from Superintendent's office. We don't mind the paperwork, if only, they gave us salaries on time like NIMS etc," added another resident.

At present, only senior residents of TIMS have received their salaries.

Students allotted hospitals in a random manner

"Usually Senior Residency gives the students couple of choices as to where they would like to work and based on marks the hospital is assigned. However, that option was not given and most doctors are working away from their homes," said a senior resident