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KOZHIKODE: The postgraduate students of dental colleges across the state are up in arms demanding parity in stipend with their medical counterparts. On Monday they started their indefinite strike. The move has affected the functioning of evening clinics manned by the students here in the Kozhikode Government Medical College.
The undergraduate students, senior residents and house surgeons are also taking part in the strike which also affected the functioning of Thiruvananthapuram Government Dental College and Kottayam Government Dental College.
The PG dental students get Rs 16,000 a month in their first year, Rs 17,000 in the second and Rs 18,500 in the third year. The medical students earn Rs 23,000, Rs 24,000 and Rs 25,000 in their first, second and third years, respectively.
According to Dr Sanjith George, president, postgraduate association, Kozhikode Government Dental College, the course duration and fees for both medical and dental courses are same. "The pay scale of the staff and house surgeons are also equal with their medical counterparts. But there is huge gap in the stipends," he said.
He said that even though the health minister agreed to bring parity by October 20, 2011, it is yet to be implemented.
Meanwhile several patients who were given appointments for treatment at evening clinics had to return home without care. Sources say about 120 new out-patients visit the clinic every day. "We know the strike has inconvenienced the patients but we don't have any other option," said Sanjith.
Dr N Rathnakumari, principal, Government Dental College, Kozhikode, said that no patients have approached her for not getting treatment. She added that teachers were asked to provide treatment to the patients as the PG students are on strike.
