Healthcare suffering under Municipal Corporations
Dr. Vinay Aggarwal
India recently faced the third wave of Covid. In such a situation one would expect the nation to fight it with all its might. When war breaks out it’s the Army which is primed up to fight it. All possible resources of the nation are made available to the Army at that time. Isn’t it? One would expect the same for the war against Covid. One would expect that the Doctors and allied healthcare workers would have no restraints on them while fighting Covid. Isn’t it?
Sadly, it’s not true. In the national capital Hospitals like Swami Dayanand Hospital (SDN Hospital) aren’t even paying salaries to Doctors, leave alone other allowances like those for LTC, Telephone, and Newspaper etc. This has forced the Doctors (and other staff) to repeatedly go on strike. Authorities promise to clear their dues and they rejoin work, only to find that the assurances aren’t fulfilled. So another strike ensues. Poor patients (the clientele is really very poor) have to suffer.
The genesis of this problem is “lack of funds” according to the Municipal Corporations which run these Hospitals. But this “lack of funds” doesn’t hamper the payment of salaries to Administrative staff, Managers, Clerical staff etc. except the Healthcare Workers.
The “lack of funds” has never stopped any payment of the Corporators. Delhi has 3 Municipal Corporations (New Delhi is a separate city), North, South and East. These were originally just one entity. South Delhi MCD is flush with funds while other 2 are facing financial crisis. This wasn’t the case when all 3 were together and the total revenue was taken together.
Three Corporations have also increased the administrative expenditure, without any increase in income. The Confederation of MCD Employees Unions has recommended the reunification of the three MCDs on 27-09-2021.
The State Government of Delhi is responsible for the Corporations. It has to transfer funds to the Corporations but it has been alleged that it is inconsistent. The political differences between the two parties ruling the Corporations and State government have further aggravated the problem.
The extent of the problem is such that the employees which have retired in September 2019 haven’t received pension commutation till date. Another employee reports that she retired 7 months back and hasn’t got a single penny since then, no GPF, no Pension, nothing. Similar is the story of two Doctors who retired from Kasturba hospital 6 months back. Forget arrears payment, even their pension hasn’t started till date. SDN Hospital released October 2021 salary of Doctors on 31st January 2022 that too after strike was announced. Four months’ salary remains due. The arrears haven’t been paid since 8 to 9 years.
In such a scenario, does one expect the Doctors to perform their duties properly? Kabir Das famously said that it’s impossible to even sing bhajans on an empty stomach.
One would expect authorities to be at least compassionate with Doctors who have been called “Corona warriors.” Instead the authorities have been threatening the Doctors with Break in service and “No work, no pay.” They don’t see the irony. Are they paying even when Doctors are working? What a laughable (but sad) situation. If these threats weren’t enough they have even called in paramilitary forces to intimidate the Doctors in the past. Pathetic that the heroes of the nation are treated with such contempt.
It’s not that the situation is beyond redemption. It just requires a realistic approach. Either the three MCDs should be united to solve the imbalance of the funds or they should stop running these Hospitals. The Hospitals can be transferred to the State government or to the Central government.
The Hon’ble LG should intervene immediately and instruct the State Govt. to release funds without further delay to immediately release the pending salaries and dues to doctors and healthcare workers .
Whatever the solution, it should come fast and should be guaranteed to be implemented. Doctors have had enough of the assurances. Indian Medical Association (IMA) had approached the courts for the payment of salaries and the Corporation’s Commissioners had assured the court about timely payment. But even the assurances to the court haven’t been honoured. So, Doctors aren’t ready to believe any assurances. They want ironclad guarantees of payment of salaries and other dues.
After all, no one gives them milk, groceries, petrol etc only on the basis of “assurance” of payment.
While Government banks charge penal interest and late payment charges on bounced EMIs, would the government also give interest on delayed salaries? Shouldn’t the “penal interest and late payment charges” be paid, by authorities whose non-payment of salaries, has led to default in payment?
Authorities should realise that the nation is watching how they are treating those who are “second only to God.” We should keep our army fighting Covid well fed, well equipped and free of mental tensions. Let’s hope the authorities understand this and act wisely.
(The author is a former National President, Indian Medical Association)
