NEW DELHI: Amid the corona crisis, the frontline workers of Kasturba Gandhi hospital have been exposed to a new challenge that is forcing them to take up the path of mass resignation. Apart from struggling to cope with COVID-19, the healthcare workers at the hospital under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) have not been paid their salaries since March.
The Resident Doctors’ Association of the hospital on Wednesday had threatened to tender their mass resignations by June 16, due to non-payment of their salaries.
“This is to inform that the resident doctors have not been paid their salaries for the last three months. No pay, no work. We are afraid that if we are not be paid by June 16, we will have to move for mass resignations,” said a letter sent to the Additional Medical Superintendent of the Hospital.
The association further said that the doctors, besides putting their lives at risk, are unable to pay rent, travelling expenses or buy essential commodities due to non-disbursal of salaries since March.
Seeking salaries “as soon as possible”, the letter, undersigned by the association’s general secretary, Dr Ratnesh Kumar Singh, further demanded assurance that regular salaries from here on will be provided on time.
“We hope the concerned authorities will take immediate action and take out a notice on priority,” it added.
This is not the first time that MCD doctors are raising the issue of non-payment of salary. Earlier in May, MCD Doctor’s Association had also written to the commissioner seeking intervention over non-payment of salary. The MCD Mayors in April had demanded CM Arvind Kejriwal to release due funds and wrote over the pending salaries of doctors, nurses and paramedical staffers.