Dispute between West Darfur hospital and striking interns

Interns at hospitals in West Darfur started an open-ended strike on Wednesday against the monthly incentive of SDG1,000 ($149) instead of double. The interns risk being dismissed as the hospital claims the amount is appropriate.

One of the intern doctors told Radio Dabanga that they discovered a document in the bureau of service affairs, stating that their monthly incentive is SDG2,000 ($300) rather than the 1,000 pounds that are being paid to them every month.

“We consequently refused to receive last October's incentive and announced our strike until the incentive is adjusted to SDG 2,000, as documented by the bureau of service affairs.”

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, the director-general of the Ministry of Health in the state, Abdelaziz Abdelrahman, confirmed that the monthly incentive for intern doctors is SDG1,000. “What was published by the bureau of service affairs was a proposal that was submitted by the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Finance, to raise the incentive.”

Abdelrahman said that the 23 interns who have gone on strike risk being dismissed if they do not go to work.