KARACHI, Nov 19: The 270-odd postgraduate doctors working for Civil Hospital Karachi, Liaquat Medical University of Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Chandka Medical College, Larkana, and People’s Medical College, Nawabshah, have formed a joint action committee charged with mounting a struggle for the right to be paid stipend.

The representatives of the action committee — Dr Irfan Sattar and Dr Riaz Leghari — told journalists during a press conference held on Wednesday that the postgraduate doctors did not want to call a strike, but if their demand was not met soon they would.

Dr Habibur Rehman Soomro of the Pakistan Medical Association was present on the occasion who pointed out that in May, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad had taken a decision that a stipend of Rs6,210 would be paid to all the postgraduate doctors working for institutions run by the provincial government.

“However, in violation of the governor’s orders, the doctors are still to be paid stipend. This is creating an unrest among postgraduate doctors,” he said.

Dr Soomro said a few years ago two batches of fresh medical graduates had passed out almost simultaneously from the medical institutions, for whom the government had allowed stipend for about 600 “house jobbers and trainees”. In subsequent years, only 300 house jobbers were paid this stipend as only one batch passed out every year.

“As a consequence, the stipend of about 300 “house jobbers or trainees” either lapses or is misused. The total amount which is misused or is lapsed works out to more than Rs1.5 million every month.

This amount should be utilized to pay stipend to the postgraduate doctors who not only undergo training but also work devotedly in the wards of the hospitals named. Dr Soomro also demanded that the authorities show exactly how the amount meant for “house jobbers and trainees” was spent last year.

“If this is not done soon, we will assume that the money was misappropriated,” the PMA’s office-bearer declared. Asked exactly who was creating hurdles in the payment of stipend to a few hundred postgraduate doctors, Dr Soomro said: “The health department does not have one crocodile, but several. Somebody, sitting somewhere in the bureaucracy was playing some games.”

Dr Sattar on the occasion said postgraduate doctors not only underwent training, but also worked diligently in the wards. “If you cannot pay for our studies, and our training, at least pay for the work we do.”

Dr Ejaz Shah, Dr Araz Mahmood and Dr Mahesh were also present.