Mumbai: BMC Reinstates Contractual Healthcare Staff At Peripheral Hospitals Amid Concerns Over Patient Care

The BMC has decided to reinstate its contractual healthcare professionals at its peripheral hospitals. The contractual staff – doctors and technicians – had been hired to fill vacant posts but the civic body abolished 1,230 posts in August, announcing only last month that it would not appoint new personnel.

The FPJ reported on October 23 how the staff discovered that their contracts won’t be renewed, resulting in a debate on how it would impact patient care.

A doctor said, “It was the Diwali weekend, and no one was giving us a clear picture on whether we should come to work or if our services were no longer required. On Monday morning, we came to know that a circular has been issued to reinstate us until further notice.” The doctor added that there is still uncertainty.

Another doctor said he had applied for a PG medical officer’s post in 2018, in response to a BMC advertisement. “I was on-boarded in 2021 on a contractual basis with the promise of regularisation. Looking at how the decision to abolish the posts was announced and then revoked, I am not sure if the BMC thinks about us doctors or patient care,” said the doctor.  

One of the medical superintendents said that, with the patient load high in peripheral hospitals, the individual hospital administration has been running from pillar to post to figure out how to manage if doctors and technician staff were discontinued.

“Many of these posts were for technicians, which would have impacted the blood banks. Overall, patient care would definitely have been hit,” said the superintendent.