Srinagar, Oct 05 (KNO): Medical interns and resident doctors in Jammu and Kashmir have urged Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Minister Sakeena Itoo to intervene at the earliest to resolve their long-pending demands for stipend revision, warning of fresh protests if the government fails to implement its assurances within the stipulated timeframe.
The MBBS and BDS medical interns said they remain hopeful that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir will honour its written assurance by October 9 and implement the promised enhancement in their stipend. However, they made it clear that failure to fulfil the assurance by the deadline would leave them with no option but to resume their agitation.
Dr Mohammad Akib Javid, J&K interns' representative, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the interns had been pursuing their demand for several months through peaceful and democratic means and were hopeful that the government would take the necessary steps within the committed timeline.
"We remain hopeful that by October 9, the Government of J&K will honour its written assurance and fulfil its commitment regarding the long-pending stipend hike for MBBS and BDS medical interns," he said.
He urged the Health Minister to personally intervene and ensure that the promised stipend enhancement is implemented without any further delay.
"We do not want confrontation. We want a written order, implementation and justice for medical interns who are working day and night in our hospitals and serving patients," Javid said.
He said October 9 would be the deadline for the government, and if the matter remained unresolved, the interns would resume their indefinite hunger strike from October 10.
Meanwhile, the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has also sought the urgent intervention of the Health Minister over the stipend-related concerns of medical interns and postgraduate residents.
In a letter addressed to the minister, AIMSA State President J&K Dr Mohammad Momin Khan urged the government to revise the stipends of MD/MS and DNB residents in line with prevailing rates in other states and Union Territories.
The association also called for uniform stipend rates across Government Medical Colleges and government healthcare institutions in J&K, besides seeking appropriate revision and parity for senior residents.
AIMSA urged the government to issue a written Government Order with a clear implementation timeline and expedite the pending process.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) said they had given the government an additional 10 days to fulfil its promise regarding their demands.
RDA representatives said they too were hopeful that the government would honour its commitment during the extended period but warned that they would launch a protest from October 12 if the demands remained unaddressed.
The resident doctors also sought the intervention of the Health Minister, urging her to expedite the process and ensure that the issue is resolved through a formal government order.
The interns and resident doctors maintained that they wanted their concerns to be settled through dialogue and government intervention, rather than confrontation, but said they would be compelled to resume protests if the assurances were not translated into concrete action—(KNO)