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Ludhiana civil hospital staff await December salary
Ludhiana civil hospital receives approximately ₹21 lakh in user charges from its emergency ward and these funds are used to pay the salaries of around 100 employees
The government of Punjab, led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has directed the Ludhiana civil hospital to submit 50% of the user charges from December and 100% of the charges from January.
As a result, the employees working on user charges in the hospital did not receive their December month salary.
As per reports, the hospital receives approximately ₹21 lakh in user charges from its emergency ward, OPD, IPD, lab tests, blood bank and other sources. These funds are used to pay the salaries of around 100 employees, which includes 43 class-IV employees, 20 staff nurses, 18 computer operators, five lab technicians, and four operation theater technicians. Apart from this electrician, plumber, washerman, and gardener are also working on user charges.
Senior medical officer Amarjit Kaur said, “Punjab health system corporation has asked to submit 100% user charges. Earlier, the user charges were used to pay the salaries of employees and take care of other maintenance work of the civil hospital. It will be difficult for us to maintain things without it.”
A computer operator at the hospital seeking anonymity said, “I am employed here and I rely on user charges for my salary, but I did not receive my December salary.”
Another employee working as a staff nurse, without disclosing her name said, “I am a staff nurse here and my salary is based on user charges. However, I did not receive my December salary. If this continues, I may leave this job.”
The employees at the civil hospital receives a salary of ₹5.80 lakh, which is funded by the average monthly user charges of ₹21 lakh.
