The DNB resident doctors at Government Medical College-associated hospital at Janglat Mandi Anantnag are on strike for over the non-payment of their monthly stipends.
The Diplomate of National Board is a postgraduate Master’s degree same as the MD/MS degree awarded to Specialist Doctors in India after the completion of a three-year residency.
The DNB resident doctors said they haven’t received their stipends since April this year and were forced to go on the strike.
“We have been pursuing DNB courses since last year and are facing such issues frequently,” they said, adding, “We are around 40 DNB residents and most of us are from outside J&K. We have families who are dependent on us and without stipends, we are even unable to make our ends meet.”
They said despite meeting higher officials of the Health and Medical Education Department in this regard and filing an online complaint with the Governor’s Grievance Cell, no positive response has come from any side.
Every official, including Principal GMC Anantnag, is assuring us verbally that the stipends will be released soon but we want written assurance, they said, adding, “Once we receive written assurance along with the date of releasing the stipend, we will resume our duties.”
They have requested the higher-ups to look into the matter at the earliest “so that our families don’t suffer anymore”.
An official of the GMC said they have taken up the issue with higher-ups and the stipends of DNB resident doctors will be released in the next 15 days.
