China’s economy continues to decline, impacting various industries, with reports of layoffs and pay cuts being widespread. Recently, a pediatrician posted online about his struggles, saying that his salary is not enough to support his family, and after work, most of his colleagues in the department go to deliver takeout, sparking attention on social media.
In a post titled “Doctor’s Complaint: Half of the Department Colleagues Delivering Takeout After Work, National Health Commission Director: Young People Shouldn’t Value Money, Should Focus on Dedication!” on the Dingxiangyuan community, the issue has gained attention.
The post stated, “I am the youngest and lowest-ranking doctor in the department. Out of 7 doctors in the department, 4 have started delivering takeout. In pediatrics, the monthly salary is only four to five thousand yuan, which is already not enough to support a family.”
In recent times, many other doctors facing similar situations have also shared their experiences.
In September, a post by a doctor in Yuxi, Yunnan Province, gained attention. The doctor mentioned that a certain tertiary public hospital in the area had not paid performance bonuses for 6 months and now implemented disguised pay cuts, with a monthly performance bonus of only 500 yuan. They even have to work 8 night shifts per month, earning less than restaurant waiters, feeling like “no one cares about our livelihood.”
On September 8th, an internal medicine doctor posted on Weibo, “The department head found out I was delivering takeout at the end of last month, asked about my situation, and somehow it spread. Today, she told me the whole hospital knows, mentioning that internal medicine doctors are delivering takeout. So, she and the deputy head talked to me, saying that before things escalate further (she cares about her reputation and might feel embarrassed), I should stop delivering takeout.”
On August 2nd, a doctor in Sichuan Province mentioned in a post that hospital performance bonuses had drastically decreased. At a certain tertiary hospital in Chengdu, the performance management system calculated a bonus of over 1800 yuan for May, with the department’s total performance bonus being just over 13,000 yuan. After dividing among several doctors, the final amount received was minimal. Delayed distribution and pay cuts have made it difficult for doctors to make ends meet.
In the health sector, blogger “Yike” posted on October 20th stating that in recent years, especially after the pandemic, there has been an increasing number of doctors looking to start side businesses. However, only a few actually take up side jobs after work. For most doctors, the main challenge is not time, physical exertion, or energy, but rather their reputation. Currently, doctors’ salaries are not high, do not match the workload, and with many public hospitals incurring losses, waves of pay cuts have forced some doctors to take up part-time jobs to supplement their income.