Twenty resident doctors from Bai Jerbai Wadia hospital for children and 20 resident doctors from N M Wadia hospital for gynaecology and obstratrics went on token strike to protest against disparity shown in payment.

“In May 2006, salaries of resident doctors was revised from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,600 soon after the staff at KEM hospital went on strike. The resident doctors at the Wadia hospital got the revised salary only after six months, and the arrears never arrived. There was a second salary revision in June 2007. Even this time, the resident doctors at Wadia hospital did not get the revised stipend nor the arrears,” said Dr Shetal Mehta, second year student at Seth GS medical college, currently working in Wadia hospital.

“We are supposed to get arrears between Rs 15,000 to Rs 40,000 depending on the seniority. We wanted to discuss the matter with the dean, however we were never given the dates. It’s only after the token strike we are heard,” said Dr Mehta.

Wadia hospital, however, claims they are helpless “as they have not received grants from the BMC since March 2007”. Dr Pankaj Phadnis, officer on special duty at Wadia Hospital said, “Ours is a charitable hospital funded by BMC and trust. BMC is yet to pay us Rs 4.2 crore pending since March 31, 2007. Also, from April 2007 to January 2008, both the departments were supposed to get money from BMC in four installments. Out of the four we have just received one till date. We can not distribute the amount among the resident doctors as we have to run the hospital.”

Dean of KEM hospital, Dr ME Yeolekar, said, “Payments have been expedited. Matter should be solved by tomorrow.”