Non-resident doctors of BSMMU not getting allowance for 9 months

Some 1,500 doctors studying in non-residency diploma, MPhil and MPH courses in 2021-23 and 2022-24 sessions at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU)-affiliated medical colleges and institutes have not received allowances for the past nine months.

They are now forced to borrow or take money from home to continue their studies, said the doctors at a sit-in programme at BSMMU yesterday, demanding that the allowances be paid.

A BSMMU syndicate meeting back in October 2020, decided that an allowance of Tk20,000 per month will be provided to the non-residency doctors studying at BSMMU. Since then, 750 doctors admitted in the 2020-22 session received allowances till the completion of their courses. The next batch of 750 doctors in the 2021-23 session got their allowance for one year. However, after June last year, they did not get any allowances. The non-resident doctors of the 2022-24 session have not received any allowance so far.

After finishing their MBBS, young doctors enrol in these higher education courses. For the two years of the courses, they are not allowed to work in any other hospitals.

These doctors doing diplomas at the BSMMU and Dhaka Medical College also provide services to patients.

Young doctors borrowing to bear cost

A 2021-23 session doctor studying at BSMMU, wishing anonymity, told The Business Standard that he has not received the allowance since July last year.

The doctor needs Tk10,000 per month for food and living in a mess at Dhaka's Aziz Super Market.

"After passing MBBS, I managed to save some money from working in a private hospital in Chattogram. I am now paying my tuition from those savings," the doctor said, adding that young doctors often have to borrow from friends.

Another doctor studying at Dhaka Medical College in the July 2022-2024 session told The Business Standard that after passing the MBBS he worked at a private medical clinic for six months and then got a chance for the MPhil course.

"It took Tk53,000 for the admission. The exam fee in the course in Tk15,000. If you fail in a subject, you have to pay another Tk15,000. I am now having to take money from home," he said.

"People think now that I have become a doctor, I have a lot of money. But the reality is different," the doctor added.

A doctor studying in the 2022-2023 session said, this kind of allowance in Pakistan is to the amount of Tk56,000 and in India Tk80,000

"This allowance should increase in line with our pay scale but we are now having to agitate for the allowance of Tk20,000," said the doctor.

Speedy resolution urged

Dr Ehteshamul Haque Chowdhury Dulal, secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), told The Business Standard, "Tk20,000 for MBBS doctors is actually very little. Now that the prices of goods have increased, it is difficult to survive for a month on this allowance. Surviving has become difficult for them without allowances for nine months. I urge the BSMMU authorities and the Ministry of Health to solve the matter urgently before Eid."

Dr Jahidur Rahman, assistant professor at the department of Microbiology, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College told TBS, "Non-resident doctors should get their pending allowances soon. And the salary of resident doctors should also increase because residents provide 24-hour service in government hospitals. How can we expect them to serve people, if they are stressed due to financial strains?"

BSMMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed, wrote to the Health Education Secretary on 11 November 2022 asking for a budget of Tk36 crores for paying the allowance of 1500 non-resident doctors.

In response to this letter, on 20 December, the budget wing of the Ministry of Health informed him that TK34 crores has been entered in the Integrated Budget and Accounting System (ibas) for the allowance of residency doctors and included in the 3631102 allowance support code for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

The Ministry of Health has asked the BSMMU to clarify why it has asked for money for the same purpose.

However, Professor Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmed told The Business Standard, "We have not received the allowance yet. We are trying to ensure that the non-resident doctors get the money quickly. We are in regular contact with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance so that allowances can be arranged quickly."