Patients hit as contract renewals delayed in civic hospitals

Patients have been forced to seek private care. Representation pic

The non-renewal of half-yearly contracts for contractual employees at civic-run peripheral hospitals, including pharmacists, laboratory technicians, community development officers (medical social workers), and other technical staff, has disrupted services for hundreds of patients. Relatives of patients are now forced to visit private laboratories for testing.

One of the worst-hit facilities is the Khurshedji Behramji Bhabha Municipal General Hospital (KBBH) in Bandra West. In early December, four contractual pharmacists stopped reporting to work, leading to severe staff shortages. The hospital's pharmacy now operates only from 8 am to 4 pm with two staff members instead of six. This has severely impacted the hospital's ability to provide free medicines, despite a daily patient inflow of 800 to 1,000.

Same saga

At the civic-run V N Desai in Santacruz East, the situation is similar, where three out of around ten plus contractual technicians/staffers two contractual staff from X-ray, and one from the pharmacy have either stopped reporting to work, or are working without pay since last few months, nor their contracts renewed, yet.

TB OPD discontinued

A health official from a hospital in the Eastern suburbs, said, "A doctor treating Tuberculosis patients part-time in the OPD stopped visiting weeks ago due to contract non-renewal, directly impacting 15 to 20 patients receiving TB treatment." The Medical Records Department (MRD), once staffed with over 20 personnel, now operates with just seven to eight contractual workers, as retirements and losses have gone unaddressed. The official added, "The community development officer (CDO) post has been vacant for months. CDOs play a key role in approving credit notes for financial assistance, particularly for accident cases during late-night emergencies when urgent CT/MRI scans are required."

What employees say

Contractual pharmacists at Bhabha Hospital, employed by the BMC on six-monthly renewable contracts, typically had their contracts renewed seamlessly after three to four months of service. This ensured continuity without pay gaps. However, this time, several contracts expired in September/October without renewal. Despite this, the pharmacists continued working at the hospital's request, expecting salary payments. "It was shocking when, for the past three months, we neither received salaries nor contract renewals, forcing us to stop work from December's first week," said a pharmacist, requesting anonymity. "We were assured Rs 20,000 salaries, but delays have left some unable to pay rent or support families," said another employee.

Hospital speaks

"We are looking into the issue and have taken up the matter with our superiors. Alternate arrangements are being made. I am not authorised to comment anything further," said Dr Vinod Khade, medical superintendent at Bhabha Hospital.

‘Issue will be resolved soon'

Dr Chandrakant Pawar, chief medical superintendent, peripheral hospitals, said, "We have already requested the contractual staff to continue with their work at respective peripheral hospitals, and have assured them their salary due would be cleared. We submitted a proposal on Monday (December 23) to the deputy municipal commissioner (Public Health) and are hopeful that the same would get approved in the next few days." Dr Pawar even clarified that the services in none of the peripheral hospitals are hampered.