Ayurveda Interns Lock Ujjain Hospital Gates Demanding Higher Stipends

Ayurveda intern doctors at the Government Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, have escalated their week-long protest by locking the facility's main gates on Monday, bringing outpatient and inpatient services to a halt. The students are demanding their monthly stipend be increased from 9,383 rupees to 21,500 rupees.

The interns say they have been protesting peacefully for seven days and submitting memorandums to the government since September 15, but have received only verbal assurances with no written commitments. Their actions, which included a symbolic hunger strike and blood donation drive, escalated after officials failed to meet with them or address their concerns.

The protesting doctors argue that Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) interns perform duties comparable to MBBS interns but receive significantly lower compensation. Dr. Nandini Solanki, one of the protesters, stated that they kept services running initially to avoid inconveniencing patients, but felt compelled to take stricter action when their demands went unheard.

The hospital closure has affected patients and healthcare staff at the facility. Dr. Pranjal Tiwari warned that students from other colleges would join the protest on October 15 if the government fails to issue a written order confirming the stipend increase. The interns have vowed to keep services suspended until they receive official documentation of the revised payment structure.