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Striking PGI workers relentless despite health ministry’s assurance
Seeking arrears since November 2018, outsourced hospital attendants refuse to return to work till they receive funds in their bank accounts
The strike by outsourced hospital attendants at PGIMER completed six days on Tuesday as negotiations between union leaders and hospital administration remained deadlocked.
Even as the Union ministry of health and family welfare in a letter to PGIMER stated that the protesters’ demands are under consideration, they have decided to continue the strike on Wednesday.
As such, OPD services will continue to be limited to follow-up patient registrations from 8 am to 10 am, with new patient registrations and online appointments remaining suspended. Elective admissions and surgeries have also been postponed, with patients being informed accordingly.
The attendants initiated the strike on October 10, demanding the release of pending arrears totaling approximately ₹30 crore, covering the period from November 2018 to April 2024. Currently, around 1,600 outsourced attendants work at PGIMER, contracted through a service provider.
On October 11, the strike gained momentum when other contractual workers, including sanitary and kitchen staff, joined in solidarity. Despite multiple discussions over six days, no consensus has been reached, adversely affecting patient services across the institute. More than 3,000 outsourced workers remain on strike near Kairon Block.
Over the days, the PGIMER administration appealed to the health ministry for funds to address the workers’ demands. A letter dated October 14 from the ministry indicated that the matter is under active consideration. However, union members refused to call off the strike until their arrears were disbursed.
Rajesh Chauhan, president of the Hospital Attendants’ Union, emphasised, “PGIMER has been assuring release of arrears since 2018. We will not call off the strike until the money is transferred into our bank accounts.”
Meanwhile, stressing that the ongoing strikes had severely impacted patient care, PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal reiterated the principle of “No work no pay” for the striking workers, referencing the Supreme Court’s rulings on similar matters.
According to a senior administrative officer of PGIMER, efforts have been made to solve the issue amicably, the priority being the care of patients, and the administration has reached out to the union leaders several times. Even the health ministry’s letter has been shared with them, but there has been no response to any resolution.
“A sum as large as ₹30 crore cannot be dispersed in a day, for it would require examining the records of each worker, working out the details on number of days at work, leaves, tenure of service, etc., which would take at least a month or more,” the officer added.
The ongoing strike has significantly impacted patient care at PGIMER. OPD services have been curtailed and elective surgeries have been completely suspended. Poor sanitation within the hospital is raising the risk of infections. Additionally, patient diets have been compromised, with only 45 workers managing the kitchen instead of the usual 200. Many patients travelling from other states, unaware of the strike, are facing immense hardship, leaving the facility without receiving treatment.
Amid the curtailed services, the OPDs managed a total of 4,852 patients on Tuesday, the Emergency OPD admitted 148 new cases and the Trauma OPD saw 22 new patients. Additionally, 12 procedures were performed in the Cath Lab, there were five deliveries and 152 patients received daycare chemotherapy.
In response to the crisis, over 100 NSS student volunteers and NGOs, including Vishav Manav Ruhani Kendra and SUKH Foundation, have stepped in to maintain essential services. Volunteers assisted with patient registrations, crowd management and sanitation, as hospital attendants continued to call off work.
Two foreign nationals from the Sukh Foundation were also spotted assisting with various tasks at PGIMER, including setting patient beds, cleaning instruments in the gynaecology ward and helping to shift patients. A 26-year-old man from London, who preferred to remain unnamed, came to Chandigarh for a relative’s wedding but has been volunteering at PGIMER for the past three days. Likewise, a 22-year-old Australian woman has also been providing support to patients during the crisis.
Amid disrupted patient care, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) also started a relay hunger strike in solidarity with their Kolkata counterparts, who are protesting for justice for the 31-year-old rape-murder victim and improved workplace safety.
The doctors didn’t attend OPDs in the New OPD block, but were present in emergency and other departments. Till the filing of this report, the doctors had not withdrawn their strike.
A senior faculty member shared that with exams approaching and the director implementing “No work, no pay” policy, those not reporting for duty will be marked absent.
The resident doctors had previously also gone on 11-day strike from August 12, severely impacting hospital services.
“There are more than 1,200 resident doctors at PGIMER. Despite a call for a strike in solidarity, 80% of resident doctors reported for duty,” stated an official statement by the hospital.
