The Association of State’s Medical Interns (Asmi) and the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (Mard) on Friday observed a one-day token strike across the state.

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More than 2,060 under-graduates and 3,500 resident doctors participated in it.

Asmi state secretary, Dr Shantanu Pachkore, told DNA that Asmi was launched on March 13 this year to unite all medical interns.

“We are getting a monthly stipend of Rs2,550. Medical interns in other states get at least Rs13,000 a month. In West Bengal, it is Rs14,000 a month. We are the lowest paid in the country,” claimed Pachkore.

The president of the Pune chapter of Mard, Dr Parag Rathod, said Mard has been fighting for the rights of women resident doctors, who are denied maternity leave. “We lack health insurance cover,” he said.

“We have demanded adequate and proper security in the hospital. We want funds from the government, which will be utilised for doctors falling prey to infections from patients,” said Rathod.

The state secretary for medical education and research, Milind Mhaiskar said, “Medical education fee hike will not be revised as it is very low compared to other sectors. This was hiked because of inflation.”

On Asmi’s demand to hike the stipend, he said, “It is out of question as they are undergraduates and students are never paid for internships.”