K-P raises trainee doctors’ stipends by 15%

K-P raises trainee doctors’ stipends by 15%

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has approved a 15 per cent increase in the monthly stipends of Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs) and House Officers (HOs) working in government and autonomous medical institutions.

The provincial doctors’ community, however, has called for a minimum 30 per cent increase, citing persistent inflation and the growing financial pressures faced by trainee doctors. The Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) has also extended its full support to the ongoing strike by house officers and trainee medical officers.

The K-P Finance Department issued separate notifications on September 9, stating that the provincial cabinet approved the increase during its 56th meeting on August 12. The revised stipends will take effect from July 1.

Under the new policy, the government will further increase the stipend by five per cent every year. Officials will calculate each annual increase on the amount payable at that time.

The notifications said autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions, Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs) and other relevant bodies will implement the revised stipends according to available financial resources and approval from the competent authority.

The PDA welcomed the government’s decision but said the increase remained insufficient given the current economic situation. The association described House Officers and TMOs as a key part of the healthcare system, particularly in teaching and tertiary-care hospitals where they provide essential medical services around the clock.

According to the PDA, trainee doctors have not received a meaningful increase in their stipends since 2015 despite a sharp rise in inflation and living costs. The association also raised concerns over the lack of residential facilities for house officers and trainee doctors at hospitals, saying the situation further increases their expenses.

The PDA stressed that trainee doctors handle significant responsibilities while serving patients, especially those from low-income and vulnerable sections of society. It demanded that the government raise their stipends by at least 30 per cent to reflect their workload and prevailing economic conditions.

The association also reaffirmed its support for the ongoing strike, calling it a constitutional right of doctors seeking better working conditions and fair financial compensation.