Resident doctors upset over Covid-19 stipend disparity

Mumbai: Resident doctors of BYL Nair Hospital, one of the four tertiary care hospitals of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), have written to the hospital director requesting equal pay among all resident doctors in civic-run hospitals

Mumbai: Resident doctors of BYL Nair Hospital, one of the four tertiary care hospitals of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), have written to the hospital director requesting equal pay among all resident doctors in civic-run hospitals.

Mumbai, India - August 04, 2021: A decorated main gate of BYL Nair Hospital during its centenary celebrations at Mumbai Central, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, August 04, 2021. (Photo by Satish Bate/Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The resident doctors, who played a vital role during the pandemic, were paid ₹10,000 every month for Covid-19 work from May 2020. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) representative from Nair Hospital said this stipend was discontinued for resident doctors at Nair Hospital from January 2022.

“It has been more than six months since we have not received the incentive. We initially assumed that with Covid-19 cases dipping, the BMC had decided to stop the stipend. It was recently brought to our notice that resident doctors from KEM and Sion hospitals are still getting the stipend,” said Dr Chetankumar Adrat, MARD representative at Nair Hospital.

MARD representatives met the dean of Nair Hospital and the director of major civic hospitals twice this month and have now written to the dean demanding equal pay.

“During the pandemic, Nair Hospital was a dedicated Covid-19 facility. We still have a ward and are treating Covid-19 patients. We have a Covid-19 OPD too. Our Covid-19 work is more than the other hospitals and we work hard for the well-being of the patients. Therefore, we are wondering why this discrimination between us and resident doctors of other hospitals. All we are demanding is equal pay,” said Dr Adrat.

Dr Neelam Andrade, director, of major civic hospitals, said they are investigating the matter. “We will see to it that there is uniformity for all the resident doctors. There is not much Covid-19 work at present. Necessary steps will be taken,” she said.