Interns and post-graduate doctors in Tamil Nadu are giving a shock treatment to the state government. Over 3000 of them are boycotting work demanding a hike in stipend on par with other states.
Wonder why the state government, which spends over a thousand crore for giving free colour television sets, is not inclined to spend a fraction of it for quality health care.
Doctors or paupers? that's the question interns and post-graduate doctors are asking. They say Tamil Nadu pays the lowest stipend in the country.
Interns are paid just Rs 4500 a month and post-graduate doctors Rs 8000, whereas in AIIMS in Delhi, Rs 10700 for interns and Rs 49000 for PG doctors.
"With Rs 6000, it's so difficult in Chennai's cost of living," said Dr Brinda, post-graduate doctor.
"Our friends who had taken engineering are earning forty to fifty thousand rupees now," said Dr Mayuresh, post-graduate doctor.
Interns and PG doctors account for around 30 per cent of the work force in government hospitals. The worst hit is the common man.
"My daughter had a brain tumour. The surgery was to be done last week but it was done only today due to the strike," said a local.
The medicos have rejected a token rise. It will cost the state an additional Rs 15 crore. The government is now threatening to mark them bad in their conduct certificate.
For vote bank politics, the Tamil Nadu government spends over thousand crore rupees towards free colour television scheme. But when it comes to paying these doctors, the government becomes a tough pay master - a clear lack of priority.
