Chandigarh: PGI’s resident doctors go on hunger strike on October 15
For the fifth day in a row, around 3,500 outsourced workers continued their protest near Kairon Block, PGI, Chandigarh, demanding the release of outstanding arrears to the tune of ₹30 crore
Amid the ongoing strike by outsourced workers demanding their long-pending arrears, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is facing an even greater challenge as resident doctors have announced to go on a hunger strike on October 15, further worsening the strain on patient care.
For the fifth day in a row, around 3,500 outsourced workers continued their protest near Kairon Block demanding the release of outstanding arrears to the tune of ₹30 crore. On Monday, outpatient services were cut back, with only follow-up patients seen for two hours. While emergency, trauma, and ICU services remained operational, new patient registrations were halted, and online appointments were cancelled. Elective surgeries, which usually total around 100 daily, were postponed, adding to the growing healthcare crisis at the hospital.
PGI spokesperson in a statement released on Monday said, “As resident doctors are set to go on strike on October 15 in solidarity with their counterparts in West Bengal despite extended discussions with the director, PGIMER, and senior officers urging them to reconsider their decision in the interest of patient care, the situation at PGIMER is expected to become even more challenging.”
Amid a severe staff shortage at the PGI and disrupted patient care, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has announced a relay hunger strike starting October 15 and the suspension of elective OPDs and surgeries. This move is in solidarity with West Bengal resident doctors, who are protesting the brutal rape and murder of a female medic and improved workplace safety.
Dr Hariharan A, ARD president, criticised the authorities for their “indifference” and warned that the strike will escalate if no decisive action is taken.
OPDs to remain limited on Tuesday
Emergency, trauma, and ICU services will remain operational. OPD services will be limited to follow-up patients with registrations from 8 am to 10 am on Tuesday. New patient registrations and online appointments have been suspended. Elective admissions and surgeries have been postponed, and patients are being informed. PGIMER has also requested neighbouring state hospitals to refrain from referring patients until the situation stabilises.
Hospital services hit hard
Due to the ongoing strike and limited OPD services, patient footfall at PGI has significantly declined. On regular days, the OPDs typically see between 10,000 and 12,000 patients. However, since the start of the strike and the festive season, those numbers have dropped. Today, 5,603 patients were registered in the OPD, 175 in the emergency OPD, and 24 in the trauma OPD, with total patients in the emergency being 335, and 217 in the advanced trauma centre. Twelve cath procedures were done and 120 daycare chemotherapy sessions took place. As per a senior cardiologist, senior residents pitched in with work in the cath lab, for there were no attendants to assist. Additionally, a source revealed that a maximum of 20 surgeries were performed in the emergency, highlighting that services are still far from normal.
Sanitation crisis worsens
Due to the strike, the sanitation of the hospital is also in poor condition. Mopping was not done on a regular basis, washrooms were stinking, waste was piled up in the bins. In emergency, an attendant of a patient was seen sweeping the floor around the patient’s bed.
Since Dr Vivek Lal became the director of the PGI, the institution has witnessed its ninth strike in less than two years, involving various workers’ unions demanding different issues. The strikes began on November 16, 2022, with subsequent protests occurring on January 20, 2024, followed by a two-day strike on April 3-4, and another on June 11, 2024. In August, resident doctors and outsourced workers each held separate strikes, followed by security guards on September 27 and resident doctors again on October 7. The latest strike is by contract workers, with resident doctors announcing another strike on Tuesday.
Deadlock persists
PGI remains in a wait-and-watch mode as the outsourced workers’ strike stretches into its fifth day, with no resolution in sight. The core issue is unpaid arrears for hospital attendants, despite a ₹46-crore budget approved in April 2024 to settle dues for other contract staff. While previous strikes saw PGI seek court intervention to protect patient care, this time no such action has been taken, leaving patients to bear the brunt of disrupted services.
Unions not on same pitch
The hospital’s Joint Action Committee’s six associated contract workers union, PGI Safai Karamchari, Mahila CWU, Security Guard, Hospital Attendant, Electrical Workers and All PGI Contract Workers Union, on Monday held a meeting with the deputy chief labour commissioner.
Sanjeev Kumar, general secretary, Joint Action Committee of the PGI Contract Workers’ Union said,” We were waiting for October 16. A civil writ petition in the same case is in the high court, but the hospital attendant union announced this strike individually. The joint action committee will wait till October 16 and will take further action based on the high court hearing.”
Dr Vivek Lal, director, PGIMER, could not be reached for comments despite repeated texts and calls.