On Tuesday, during the inauguration of a waste-to-energy plant at Ghazipur poultry & fish market, Arvind Kejriwal spoke about the deplorable condition of the doctors- “It pains me that our doctors have to protest for their salaries, who risked their lives to serve us during the pandemic,” further asking the centre to allot pending funds worth ₹12,000 crores to MCD so that they can issue paychecks.
Delhi Chief Minister slammed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for not disbursing salaries of doctors and said it is a shameful act and doctors of MCD-run hospitals are left with no other choice than to protest.
He also questioned the functioning of MCD into the matter and asked the Centre to look into the matter of corruption & mismanagement.
Kejriwal mentioned that his government has already paid sufficient funds to civic bodies more than previous ones, and provided them with more than what’s due. Still, the civic bodies fell short in paying salaries of teachers, sanitation workers, and doctors over the years. He asked MCD the reason behind the acute shortage and suggested to be more precise into the matter and pay the pending salaries of doctors immediately.
Resident doctors & paramedic staffs of three North Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) -run including Hindu Rao Hospital staged protests against unpaid salaries showing placards and raising slogans of “#UnpaidCovidWarrior”, “Mera loan bharega kaun, “Kaise doon ghar ke EMI, MCD nahi deti kamai”.
After a three-day hunger strike & agitation, NDMC paid salaries of Resident Doctors & health workers of Hindu Rao Hospital after which they withdraw the strike Wednesday night, and thanked the NDMC Mayor Jai Prakash for listening to their demands.
Speaking to ANI, Prakash said that the salaries of protesting doctors had been paid till the month of September.
“The nurses, paramedical staff, technicians, and ward boys have also been paid their one month salary,” he added.
In India, both central & state governments have been ignorant of the healthcare sector for a long time now. Throughout this pandemic crisis, we have seen Doctors & paramedical staff calling strikes and staging protests to make authorities fulfill their basic needs like asking to be paid on time, protection from violent elements, or assuring a better working condition, but they are yet to see any solid reforms.
This issue of ill-treatment of Doctors and health workers is a major issue which isn’t confined just to Delhi, it’s a nationwide crisis. These shortcomings ask for a revolution into the system as we owe everything to the front line warriors including Doctors & health care workers amidst this pandemic.
