SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Feb 2: The Junior Doctors Association (JDA) of RIMS Ranchi has stepped in to support the struggling Senior Residents of Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH), Dhanbad, who have been facing severe financial hardship due to four months of unpaid salaries.
In an official statement, the JDA expressed deep concern over the situation, highlighting that young doctors working under the state’s mandatory service policy are not being paid on time, despite their crucial contributions to healthcare.
62 Senior Residents go unpaid since October
More than 62 Senior Residents at SNMMCH, who are serving their three-year mandatory service after completing their medical courses in Jharkhand, have not received their salaries since October 2024. Although Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Health, Ajay Kumar Singh, had assured that the dues would be cleared by the end of January, the health department has yet to release the necessary funds.
JDA members, including patrons Dr. Jaideep Kumar, Dr. Praveen P, Dr. G Shukla, and Dr. Ujala M, along with president Dr. Ankit Kumar, executive president Dr. Abhishek Laguri, vice president Dr. Abhishek Hansdak, and others such as Dr. Amit Kumar, Dr. Archna Kumari, Dr. Kumari Kirti, Dr. Ansu Soni, and secretary Dr. Om Prakash, have collectively declared their full support for SNMMCH Senior Residents. They commended these doctors for continuing their duties despite extreme hardships.
“Serious questions are being raised about how doctors can continue working in Jharkhand when their safety is at risk, healthcare facilities are inadequate, and salaries are not paid on time,” the JDA statement read.
RIMS JDA’s plea to health minister
The RIMS JDA has also urged Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari to ensure the immediate payment of all pending salaries and to stop testing the resilience of junior doctors.
In response to the continued delay, SNMMCH Senior Residents have already issued a notice to the principal, announcing their decision to go on mass leave starting tomorrow (February 3).
The IMA Junior Doctor Network (JDN) has also supported the protest. State chairman Dr. Sushil Kumar, president Dr. Vikash Kumar, and general secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar have backed the Senior Residents’ demand for their overdue salaries.
