PMA challenges CPSP over stipend enforcement

Doctors' body proposes reporting portal, audits and sanctions for non-compliant institutions

IV Report

KARACHI: Welcoming a recent notification by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) on trainee stipends, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has urged the college to ensure strict and transparent enforcement of the policy through concrete measures rather than routine directives.

In a letter addressed to the CPSP on June 1, the PMA said notifications without effective implementation were "meaningless" and called for a robust enforcement mechanism to ensure FCPS and MCPS trainees receive their mandated stipends. A copy of the letter was also shared on social media.

The association acknowledged the CPSP's May 30, 2026 notification on stipend compliance but expressed concern over what it described as the absence of a transparent implementation framework. It said postgraduate residents continued to face discrimination, payment delays and denial of their financial rights.

The problem was particularly acute in private hospitals, where trainees were allegedly underpaid and required to work under demanding conditions despite existing stipend regulations, according to the letter signed by PMA President Dr Izhar Ahmed and Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro.

The PMA argued that similar directives in the past had failed to produce meaningful change on the ground and questioned who would be responsible for ensuring compliance. It maintained that implementation of stipend policies remained inadequate despite repeated notifications.

The CPSP notification issued on May 30 warned that non-compliance with stipend regulations could adversely affect an institution's accreditation status and stated that trainee inductions in July would be restricted to compliant institutions.

To strengthen enforcement, the PMA proposed the establishment of an anonymous digital reporting portal through which postgraduate trainees could safely report violations without fear of retaliation or blacklisting. It also called for the immediate suspension of training slots and accreditation of institutions found violating the policy.

In addition, the association recommended random financial audits of institutional payrolls by a committee comprising representatives of the CPSP, PMA and provincial health authorities to verify whether stipulated payments were actually being made to trainees.

The PMA leaders reminded the CPSP leadership that postgraduate trainees were "the absolute backbone of our healthcare system" and said their exploitation must end through effective enforcement of existing regulations.

--IV file photos