Kalyan, March 5: Public health services across Kalyan and Dombivli were disrupted on Wednesday after nearly 400 contractual healthcare workers attached to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) launched an indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries for the past four months.
The agitation has severely affected operations at Arogya Vardhini Centres, Urban Primary Health Centres and ‘Aapla Dawakhana’ clinics, leaving patients to bear the brunt.
The protesting staff, who have gathered outside the KDMC headquarters, include Medical Officers (MOs), staff nurses, Multi-Purpose Workers (MPWs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and pharmacists.
Workers protest over unpaid salaries
Dr Pooja Rathod-Jadhav, a Medical Officer participating in the strike, said around 400 healthcare employees have not received salaries for the last four months.
“Despite repeated representations to the authorities, no concrete decision has been taken. We are left with no option but to resort to agitation.”
The striking workers have also raised the issue of pending annual increments. According to the protesters, apart from salary arrears, increments have not been released, worsening their financial distress.
Health workers cite financial hardship
Several women health workers expressed anguish over their deteriorating financial condition.
“Without salaries, managing household expenses has become extremely difficult. Our children’s school fees, groceries and bank EMIs are pending. Some of us are even borrowing money to cover daily commuting expenses to report for duty,” said ANMs Manorama Gaikwad and Sonal Pardeshi.
They added that multiple letters had been submitted to the civic body’s medical health department over the past few months, but no resolution was forthcoming.
KDMC cites delay in state funds
When contacted, Dr Deepa Shukla, Chief Medical Health Officer of KDMC, said the delay was due to non-receipt of funds from the state government.
“We are in constant touch with government officials over the phone. We hope the issue will be resolved at the earliest,” she said, adding that increments have been merged with the salary component.
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Meanwhile, with frontline healthcare staff off duty, routine medical services in several civic-run facilities remain hampered, raising concerns over access to primary healthcare for residents in the twin cities.
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