NEW DELHI: The senior doctors associated with hospitals run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation have threatened to go on indefinite strike from October 19 over non-payment of salaries.
Meanwhile, the Corporation released salary of one month for employees of different categories - para medical staffs and nurses of Hindu Rao as well as junior and senior resident doctors of all hospitals. The salary for one month of safai karmacharis was also released.
However, the doctors have not clarified whether they will continue with their agitation or not. Earlier, in a letter addressed to the North MCD Commissioner, the Municipal Corporation Doctor's Association stated that the salary issue has caused immense resentment amongst doctors who are demoralised, mentally stressed, depressed and distracted.
"North MCD is unable to arrange funds to pay salaries to its employees. They are also not exploring options like handing over entire health services except public health to any other governement organisations like the Central government... the government has not left us any other option except to go on strike to get our salaries and find a permanent solution to this problem so that we and our families can also live," the letter, whose copies have been sent to the Prime Minister, Union and state health ministers, said.
However, lifesaving emergency services will remain unaffected during the strike, the MCDA said in the statement. "As many peripheral health units are also involved in Sampling, Contact Tracing & Data Reporting of COVID-19, hence suitable alternate arrangements be made beforehand to avoid any hardship to patients and concerned govt organizations/ authorities," the letter read.
There are five hospitals under North MCD — Hindu Rao, Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Diseases, Kasturba Hospital, Girdhari Lal Maternity Hospital and Rajen Babu Institute of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis. There are 21 dispensaries, 63 maternity and child welfare centres, 17 polyclinics and 7 maternity homes.
There are at least 1,000 senior doctors, 500 resident doctors, and 1,500 nursing officers on its staff. "Payment of pending three months salary and permanent solution is must to avert the strike," said Dr RR Gautam, President of the association.
Meanwhile, the resident doctors of Kasturba Gandhi and Rajen Babu have decided to join the healthcare workers at Hindu Rao who have been agitating for the past 10 days over the pending salary issues.