Mumbai: Maharashtra Association of Bonded Resident Doctors (MABRD) in a letter to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has sought equality in the salary slab for bonded residents doctors (BRD) to be on par with the remuneration given to doctors from state-run hospitals.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pays only Rs 54,000 per month to these bonded doctors, while the doctors from state-run hospitals get Rs 70,000 per month for the same job. The DMER has not given any response yet but is said to be considering the issue.
As per DMER rules, all medical students after completing their degree and postgraduation have to serve one year in rural areas of Maharashtra. In order to do so, the medicos are paid a salary. But there is a disparity in the salary which has been highlighted.
“Although all doctors are doing the same job, we are given lesser salary in comparison to bonded doctors from government-medical colleges. We have the same syllabus and the same rural service, we also perform the same jobs then why a disparity in remuneration? We have raised the issue earlier also, but no one pays any heed,” said a doctor of MABRD.
In the letter dated June 15, they have also asked to add the arrears amount with the new salary to be given to the residents who would finish their tenure in July-August. “Many of our bonded senior resident doctors and the super specialty medical officers will be completing their bond period in the month of July and August 2019, so we request you to pay our increased salaries along with arrears from July, 2018 from next month onwards,” reads the letter.
Dr TP Lahane, director, DMER said, soon they would hold a meeting with the civic body to take decision. "We have sent a letter to the additional municipal commissioner regarding this issue. We had been instructed to provide equal salary to doctors as per the money given to the doctors from government hospitals. But so far, nothing has been done and we will be holding a meeting with the civic officials," he said.
