At hospital where Aishwarya delivered Baby B, doctors still await October salary!

The Bachchans chose SevenHills in Marol, Andheri, for Aishwarya’s delivery because of the excellent infrastructure and specialised doctors. And she delivered a girl on Wednesday. But at least 100 doctors at the hospital are still waiting for their October salary.

Doctors say they used to get their salaries latest by the third, but there have been delays for the past two months. “Everyone is excited with Aishwarya’s delivery. But we have not got our salary. It is already November 16,” a doctor said. Some doctors allege that the hospital management pressurises them to generate revenue but does not bother to pay salaries on time. Fed up with the goings-on, several doctors have quit.

The administration, however, denied the allegations. “This is absolutely false,” Dr Bindu Chauhan, the hospital spokesperson, said. “I would like to know the names of the doctors who have said they did not get their October salaries.”

One of the doctors who did not receive his salary claimed the administration had paid the salaries of the HR staff, the clerical staff and even the nurses. “People like Dr Chauhan and other staff got their salary on time. We cannot understand why the

administration is not paying our salaries,” the doctor said. “Last month we got our salaries on the 12th. We checked up with the HR and found everyone got their salary around the 9th and the 12th.”

Another doctor said that they had taken up the matter with the administration. “We met them two days ago. They told us that too many bank holidays have led to the delay,” he said. “The delay has upset our budget… EMIs and bills are stuck. They promised to resolve the matter at the earliest.”

But rumours are doing the rounds that the hospital has suffered huge losses. At least eight doctors have put in their papers, the doctor said. “We have heard that the administration is going through a financial crisis. This delay is probably an indication,” he said. “Doctors have quit SevenHills to join Umrao and Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospitals.”

Doctors also point out the “faulty policy” of the hospital asking patients to deposit at least Rs50,000 before admission. “Aishwarya delivering a baby in the hospital will not increase the patient flow suddenly. Such a steep deposit is driving patients away from the hospital,” a doctor said.

The hospital has often been in the news mostly for wrong reasons. In July, the BMC had issued an ultimatum to the hospital, saying if the authorities did not sign a memorandum of understanding with the civic body regarding services to poor patients, the BMC would start the process of taking over the hospital.

On November 9, nurses went on a flash strike, demanding a pay hike that they had been promised during recruitment. The strike was called off after the administration gave them a written assurance of a 15-30% hike. The aggrieved doctors will meet the administration again today.