Patients, who are planning to visit municipal hospitals on Friday for medical check-up, should think twice before going ahead as there could be fully fledged strike at all the municipal hospitals. On Thursday, those who visited hospitals for the treatment had to face problems as Out Patients Department (OPD) services were partially halted. Only a few doctors were present in OPDs to attend patients.
Earlier on Wednesday, doctors had claimed that they will not go on strike and only give morale support to agitating civic body employees who are on three day strike as they did not get their salaries for the past four months.
Many patients had to wait for hours to get examined by doctors. Prem Chand, 60, who was accompanying his daughter lata, for her viral fever treatment had to wait for long. He said, “The matter should be resolved by the Government as early as possible as poor patients are bearing the brunt of the agitation."
Dr RR Gautam of Hindu Rao Hospital, president of Municipal Corporation Doctors' Association, said, “On Friday, doctors might go on strike. All the medical services may come to halt on Friday.
On Friday, the doctors have called a General Body meeting to decide whether to join the strike or not. "To release our salaries, we had filed a petition to CAT in December last year. According to court's order, we are supposed to get all salary due till December 31. However, corporation released our salaries till October only," said Dr Gautam.
“A contempt of court proceeding has been initiated against the corporations. Its first hearing was held on January 13 this year and next hearing is scheduled for February," said Gautam.
Alleging financial irregularities on the part of municipal corporations, Gautam said: "It is very strange, that civic body is not giving its reply to the court this matter. On the other hand, the Delhi Government has filed its reply before the court saying that they have cleared all their due to the municipal corporations."
“We have to feed our family and this matter is not new. We have to ask for our salaries every month," said a senior resident doctor.
It may be noted that BJP ruled Municipal Corporations haves four hospitals under their domain which include Bara Hindu Rao, Swami Dayanand, Kasturba and Rajan Babu Tuberculosis hospital.