NEW DELHI: With salary pending from past three months – March, April and May, there is a sense of resentment amongst doctors, especially resident ones working in hospitals under Delhi’s municipal corporations.
“How long should we beg for our salary…atleast in a situation of pandemic where all the healthcare workers are overloaded, doing extra hours, giving more efforts, the administration should think about us. And not make us plead for salary,” said Dr RR Gautam who is associated with the Girdhar Lal Maternity Hospital under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
While the RDAs of Kasturba Gandhi Hospital and Hindu Rao Hospital — both under the North MCD had threatened of mass resignation over non-payment of salaries, the Municipal Corporation Doctor’s Association also wrote to the LG on Friday stating that if salary of senior doctors are also not paid within a week then they will also go on mass resignation.
“What hurts is despite repeatedly raising the issue, the administration is not concerned. It appears none of the authorities were empathetic enough to feel difficult financial circumstances faced by doctors. Flaw lies with the MCD administration as they are our immediate employer. Although the doctors are UPSC cadre and we are technically under the L-G."
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"Whenever it comes for salary, there begins a blame game — MCD accusing Delhi government for not paying them funds and state blaming the Centre for not releasing revenue,” Dr Gautam who is also president of MCDA added.
He noted that when an DMC healthcare worker from Hindu Rao hospital succumbed to COVID-19, the civic authorities didn’t come for any financial aid to the family and it was the doctors from North MCD who collected some money to help the family.
Most of the senior doctors working with the civic hospitals have a experience of more than 20 years, but the issue of salary primarily started from last year. “Problem started with bifurcation of MCD but it is now a major concern. Every time, we have to remind ourselves of salary payment,” he stated.The Supreme Court also took serious note of non-payment of salary.
Pay resident doctors’ salary: High Court to North MCD
The Delhi High Court on Friday directed North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North-MCD) to pay by June 19 the salary for March to the resident doctors in its six hospitals, including Kasturba Gandhi and Hindu Rao.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan also asked the Delhi government to release funds to North DMC so that it can pay the April salary of the resident doctors of its hospitals by June 24.
The bench also issued notice to the Centre, Delhi government, North DMC and various doctors’ association seeking their stand on the PIL initiated by the high court on its own. The detailed order is awaited in the matter which is listed for further hearing on July 8.
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