For four months, the resident doctors at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, have been working without salaries. For this reason, the doctors launched an indefinite strike on Monday, October 23, due to non-availability of salary to the doctors.
As part of the indefinite strike, the doctors have withdrawn from elective services, including OPD (Outpatient Department) and Operation Theatre (OT), effective from Monday. However, the resident doctors are continuing their services to IPD patients already admitted in wards, ICUs and any medical or surgical emergencies.
Dr Arun Kumar, Resident Doctor Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and General Secretary, United Doctors Federation Association (UDFA), in a conversation with EdexLive, claimed, “The resident doctors have not received their salaries since June 25. The institute has said that this is because they do not have to budget to pay the salaries. However, resident doctors are the only ones suffering and have been working without money for four months now.”
The resident doctors of RGSSH New Delhi had written to the director of the institute regarding their concerns on October 7 as well as on October 16. Upon not receiving any response from the institute, the doctors called an indefinite strike on Monday. The protestors say that the strike will continue, wherein, the doctors will boycott the aforementioned duties until their salaries are received.
The doctors added that non-payment of salaries has severely hampered the day-to-day life of the resident doctors.
“Four months is a long time. The resident doctors have their own personal lives and families. They have to pay their rent. All of this has been affected due to the non-availability of salaries, causing severe stress to the doctors,” added Dr Arun Kumar.
The doctors have demanded that the institute prioritise the disbursement of their overdue salaries to maintain the smooth functioning of the hospital and ensure the well-being of its faculty.
