Docs handle swine flu cases without stipend for 3 months

Nearly 100 junior resident doctors from various departments of B J Medical College who have been battling to save swine flu victims have not received their stipends for three months now.

Many of them hail from rural areas who need to send money back home. Junior resident doctors have not been paid stipends of Rs 12-15,000 from May to August this year.

Even as the Pune unit of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) preferred not to comment on the issue,stating that they would soon bring the issue to the notice of the B J Medical College authorities. They admitted there was a delay in the payment of senior resident doctors as well. There are nearly 300 resident doctors here.

However,most doctors said it was not correct on their part to go on strike,especially with swine flu patients reporting on a daily basis. The Mumbai unit of the MARD had threatened an agitation though and later called it off.

Dr Arun Jamkar,Dean of B J Medical College,admitted there was a computer generated mistake following which there were lack of funds in the government budget to accommodate the raise in the salaries/stipends of the resident doctors. We are tracking the matter and the residents will soon get their salaries, he said.

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