Resident doctors raise concerns over working conditions in J&K hospitals

Srinagar, Oct 8: Resident doctors across Jammu and Kashmir have raised serious concerns over what they describe as “inhuman” working conditions in government hospitals, alleging that they are being “reduced to overworked, under-supported labourers.”

Several delegations of resident doctors, speaking to Greater Kashmir, painted a grim picture of long working hours, unsafe duty rooms, and neglect of their basic well-being—conditions they say amount to exploitation.

“We often have 24-hour shifts and operate from rooms with no ventilation, broken furniture, and unbelievably dirty washrooms,” said a resident doctor from a GMC hospital in Jammu. Many doctors requested anonymity, fearing reprisal from their seniors and hospital administrations.

Duty rooms, meant to provide some respite during gruelling shifts, have turned into uninhabitable spaces. “Windows are broken, and air conditioning is a distant dream,” said another doctor. In some hospitals, she said, storage dumps filled with surplus items and medical disposables have been converted into resting spaces for resident doctors.

“Are we training for some wilderness boot camp?” one resident asked sarcastically, describing recurring headaches and dizziness due to suffocating rooms. “Some doctors have even fallen unconscious from lack of ventilation. When we raised the issue, we were mocked and called weak. But these are not signs of weakness — they are unsafe working conditions,” he said.

With a severe shortage of doctors across J&K hospitals, the burden of healthcare delivery largely falls on resident doctors. “We start OPD duty at 10 a.m., finish by 4 PM, and then continue ward duty from 4 PM onwards. The shift often lasts 24 hours or more,” said a resident doctor from GMC Srinagar. She added that hospitals lack proper resting areas. “Even resting our feet for a few minutes feels like a luxury,” she said.

According to the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines, hospitals are required to monitor the stress levels and working hours of resident doctors. However, the doctors say these standards exist only on paper. “We are supposed to heal others, but our own well-being is neglected,” a doctor remarked.

The doctors also flagged the issue of inadequate supervision at night. “Senior consultants are meant to be on call, but we are discouraged from contacting them,” said a resident at a major Srinagar hospital. “When complicated cases arrive late at night, we’re left to manage on our own. The result is stress for doctors and risk for patients. No one wins,” she added.

Exhausted and overworked, resident doctors warn that such conditions can impair decision-making during emergencies, putting patient safety at risk.

They have appealed to the government to take immediate cognisance of their situation. “We demand that the administration constitute a committee to examine facilities for resident doctors and rationalise our work hours,” one delegation said. “Ensuring humane working conditions is not only a matter of justice for us but also crucial for improving patient care.”