Govt college medical students allege they are being discriminated over accommodation

Medical students from government colleges working with Covid patients have alleged that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has refused to accommodate around

Medical students from government colleges working with Covid patients have alleged that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has refused to accommodate around 90 resident doctors from St George Hospital in hotels. They claimed that they had to wait for hours on the road after their duty to find alternative accommodation. The state medical department had arranged for the West End Hotel at Marine Lines for the resident doctors who are on duty at St George Hospital, which has been converted into a Covid hospital. On May 20, six-seven government resident doctors went to the hotel to stay, but the BMC officials did not provide them accommodation there, the students have alleged.

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“They didn’t let us in stating that the hotel is reserved for BMC staffers on Covid duty and had asked us to leave. We had to wait on the road from 2pm to 4pm, after which we were informed that we had been given alternate accommodations at Bengal Hotel,” said a second-year postgraduate student. However, when they reached Bengal Hotel, BMC officials cited the same reason and asked them to leave.

“Then we had to go back to our hostel and stay with resident doctors who had not been on Covid duty, thereby risking their chances of infection,” said the student.

The students have also alleged that unlike BMC officials, they have been given cheap hotels without proper ventilation. “We feel suffocated when we enter the rooms. Also, the bathrooms aren’t cleaned properly,” said another resident doctor.

The students have written letters to the collector seeking proper accommodation.

“BMC doctors are getting five-star hotels such as the Taj, while we get unhygienic hotels. We are also working 24/7 and risking our lives. So, why are we being discriminated?” said a student.

An official from St George Hospital informed that the decisions of the government medical colleges are taken by the city collector, while for medical colleges under BMC, the responsibility is undertaken by the civic commissioner.

Dr Ramesh Bharmal, director of medical education, BMC, said, “The hotel accommodation is different for the students of BMC and the state government. I am personally not aware of such an incident. But will look into it.”

Dr TP Lahane, director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) did not respond to HT’s calls.