Wearing black ribbons while on duty on Tuesday, resident physicians and interns at the state-run Sir Sayajirao General (SSG) Hospital in Vadodara expressed their desire for a higher salary. Their dissatisfaction with the state’s inaction on a promised rise in stipend, in spite of a government resolution requiring periodic increments, is evident in this symbolic protest.
There are over 500 resident physicians and 250 interns working in the state-run SSG Hospital. A government resolution states that resident physicians’ stipends shall be raised every three years. The resolution was last revised in 2021, and it states that stipends will rise by 40% following a three-year term. But even after four years, there has been no change to the stipends, which has left the medical personnel increasingly dissatisfied.
The general opinion was voiced by a resident physician who pointed out that no additional changes had been made to the stipend since the Gujarat government last amended it in 2021. The doctors and interns contend that they have been denied a one-year pay raise in violation of the government resolution’s explicit recommendations.
The resident physicians have high hopes that their requests would be promptly and sensitively handled by the state administration. “Resident doctors across the state are eagerly waiting for the state government to hike the stipends,” a resident physician stated. This comment highlights the general expectation and annoyance among medical professionals, who believe that their contributions and efforts have not been sufficiently acknowledged, particularly during the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SSG Hospital interns’ and resident physicians’ protest is not an isolated episode. Statewide, medical professionals are expressing similar sentiments. They contend that a more general disdain for their diligence and hard work is reflected in the delay in the stipend modification. The doctors’ silent protest and call for justice, symbolized by the black ribbons they wore, underscore the seriousness of their predicament without interfering with patient care.
The circumstances at SSG Hospital serve as a microcosm of larger problems that Indian medical practitioners face. A prevalent complaint among interns and resident physicians is the lack of prospects for career advancement, poor working conditions, and delayed pay modifications. These problems have an impact on staff morale as well as the caliber of the services they offer.
Apart from the stipend dispute, the SSG Hospital protest highlights the necessity for structural modifications in the remuneration and assistance provided to interns and resident physicians. In order to take into account the changing requirements and contributions of medical professionals, the government must make sure that resolutions and policies are not only put into effect but also routinely evaluated and updated.
Meanwhile, medical professionals are making identical demands and protesting in other parts of India. The Haryana Civil Medical Service (HCMS) organization, for example, has threatened to go on strike indefinitely starting on July 25 in protest of inadequate career advancement and promotions. These campaigns are a reflection of a nationwide trend among medical professionals to demand improved working conditions and acknowledgement for their achievements.
The SSG Hospital in Vadodara’s resident physicians’ and interns’ protest is a noteworthy illustration of their demand for just wages. It draws attention to the most significant problems that Indian medical professionals face and demands that the government respond quickly to allay their complaints. Ensuring the quality of healthcare services provided by medical professionals and their well-being requires prompt review of stipends and supportive policy implementation.
SOURCE:
TIMES OF INDIA
