Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association India (FORDA) has sought the intervention of Union Health Ministry into the issue of non-payment of salaries of resident doctors at various health facilities in the national capital. Doctors of Kasturba Hospital and Hindu Rao Hospital, both under North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) are not getting their salary.
Resident doctors of 450-bedded Kasturba Hospital have not threatened to resign en mass as they are working without payment for the last three months.
In its letter to Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, FORDA said that the Medical fraternity stands together in this national response to the COVID-19 epidemic and Doctors & other healthcare professionals are putting in their best efforts.
“Through this letter, we intend to bring to your notice, an issue pertaining to Doctors of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Hospitals. Doctors of these Hospitals are putting their lives at stake in this epidemic, but are not being paid the emoluments and it has become difficult for them to meet their daily expenditures and to support their families,” the letter reads.
“These Frontline warriors have not received their salaries since last 3 months which is totally demotivating them. Doctors of MCD Hospitals have regularly faced delays in receiving salary/stipends and this is a long-standing issue. They have been pursuing the concerned Hospital authorities since months, without any fruitful outcome. Ultimately the Resident Doctors’ Associations of Hindu Rao Hospital & Kuturba Hospital have given representations to the authorities on 10th June, 2020 for payment of their due salaries within a week,” it added.
FORDA said that in case of non-payment, these doctors will be forced to go for Mass Resignation/No Pay, No Work which will be really unfortunate in these tough times.
“We would hereby urge the Union Government to kindly intervene and would also like to suggest that the Union/State Government should directly take care of salaries of Doctors of MCD Hospitals and save them from this routine struggle. We shall be grateful if you kindly take note of the issue mentioned above and take necessary measures for addressing the same on an urgent basis,” the doctors’ body said.