Nagpur: In the crucial times like these, when interns doctors across the nation are leading fight against Covid-19 from the frontline, there is wide discrepancy in the stipends they have been receiving across Maharashtra. Though interns doctors submitted memorandums to Guardian Minister and District Collector, and trended with #IncentivesForInterns on social media platforms, all efforts to bring them at par in pay proved futile.
“While Mumbai and Pune pays ₹59,000 and 30,000 per month respectively, the intern doctors working in Covid wards in Nagpur are being given just a meagre amount of ₹11,000 per month”, Dr. Samir Mandhane, Intern Representative, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMC) and Vidarbha Region Coordinator of State Medical Interns, told Nagpur Today.
“IGGMC Nagpur Interns are working tirelessly in this corona pandemic. From fever OPDs to positive wards to Covid ICU, everywhere interns are being posted. This has already leads to 26 interns testing positive of the virus borne disease. Despite which, interns working in Nagpur are worst paid in Maharashtra. Interns working in Covid wards in Mumbai are getting ₹ 59,000/- per month whereas those working in Pune are getting ₹ 30,000 per month,” he elaborated.
“Intern doctors have been working for swab duty since April, while they were posted in wards nursing covid positive patients and ICUs since July. Intern doctors are working hard without a break in our schedule since our internship started,” Dr Mandhane asserted
“We have given letter for incentives to District Collector, Radhakrishnan B and Guardian Minister, Nitin Raut. However, till now we didn’t get the written assurance for it. We don’t have any complaint regarding college administration. They are providing PPE Kits, N95 Masks, Gloves. But we need the Support of our District Administration. It will serve as a morale booster for IGGMC Nagpur Interns,” he clarified.
– Shubham Nagdeve
