Medical interns call off strike in J&K

Srinagar, Sep 8: The MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday called off their strike and resumed duties after the government gave a written assurance that their long-pending demand for enhancement of stipend would be resolved within one month.
According to reports, the decision came after a delegation of protesting intern doctors met Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Masood Itoo in Srinagar on Tuesday. “After the meeting the minister, interns decided to call off the strike and resume duties,” one of the protesters said.
Pertinently, interns had launched their agitation after repeatedly raising the issue of stipend enhancement with the authorities and expressing dissatisfaction over what they described as prolonged inaction on their demand.
The protest gradually gathered momentum, with interns from medical and dental colleges across Jammu and Kashmir joining the agitation under a common platform.
The protesting interns are demanding enhancement of their monthly stipend to Rs 30,000, arguing that the existing stipend was inadequate in view of the nature of internship, their working hours, responsibilities and the role they perform in patient care under supervision.
The interns maintained that although they are still undergoing compulsory internship as part of their professional training, they perform important clinical duties in hospitals, including assisting in patient management, attending wards and emergency services and supporting healthcare teams.
They said that a major point of contention during the agitation was the absence of a formal and time-bound government order or written commitment. “Verbal assurances from authorities won’t suffice we need a concrete roadmap for resolving the issue,” they said.
During an earlier interaction, the Health Minister had sought time for resolving the matter, but the interns had insisted that the government provide a definite and time-bound commitment.
The issue remained unresolved for several rounds of discussions, prompting the interns to intensify their protest and warn of further escalation if their demand was not addressed.
However, Tuesday’s meeting resulted in a breakthrough after the government provided a written assurance regarding the timeline for resolving the stipend issue.
According to the minutes/record note of the meeting, the government has assured the interns that the stipend matter will be resolved within one month, on the basis of the recommendations of the Stipend Enhancement Committee.
The written commitment became the key factor behind the interns’ decision to suspend the agitation.
The assurance, however, does not mean that the interns have received the demanded Rs 30,000 stipend immediately. Rather, the government has committed to resolving the matter within the stipulated period while taking into account the recommendations of the committee constituted to examine the issue.
Following the assurance, the intern representatives agreed to call off the strike and return to their respective hospitals and colleges.
The decision was also taken keeping in view the larger interest of patients, as the interns form an important part of the clinical workforce in government hospitals and medical institutions.
The interns said they did not want their agitation to adversely affect patient care and also acknowledged their academic and professional responsibilities.
Their decision to resume duties brings relief to healthcare institutions where the absence of interns had the potential to put additional pressure on resident doctors and other healthcare staff.
Despite calling off the strike, the interns have made it clear that their core demand remains enhancement of the monthly stipend to Rs 30,000.
They are now expecting the government to translate Tuesday’s written assurance into a formal decision within the promised one-month period.
They expect the government to consider the recommendations of the Stipend Enhancement Committee, take a final decision and issue a formal government order regarding enhancement of the stipend within the committed timeline.
With the strike now called off, the focus will shift to the government’s next steps.
The interns said that they will monitor the progress of the matter over the coming weeks and remain engaged with the authorities regarding implementation of the written commitment.
For us, they said immediate objective is now to ensure that the one-month timeline does not pass without a concrete decision.
They maintained that they have suspended the agitation in good faith and in view of the written commitment given by the government, while expecting the administration to honour the assurance in both letter and spirit.
If the government finalises the matter and issues a formal order enhancing the stipend, it could bring an end to the prolonged agitation. However, any further delay beyond the committed timeline could potentially revive concerns among the interns.
For now, the protesting MBBS and BDS interns have returned to their duties. (KNO)