Mumbai: A week after Prince Aly Khan Hospital (PAKH) decided to shut its in-patient service, the Byculla police was called to mediate between the 950-strong staff and the hospital administration on Saturday, with the employees claiming that they were clueless about what their future held.
On August 22, the Hindustan Times reported on the hospital’s sudden decision to stop surgeries and hospitalisations after a structural audit report showed that the main building was in a dilapidated condition. The hospital staff and doctors were informed by the administration about the development by email on August 20.
After receiving the mail, the staff staged a protest outside the hospital on August 22. Close to 250-300 staff tried to meet the trustees and the police were called in to maintain law and order. The Byculla police, under whose jurisdiction the hospital falls, decided to intervene in the matter and turn mediator.
Amin Manekia, chairman of PAKH and the board of trustees of the PAKH Charitable Hospital, as well as some trustees met union representatives on Saturday for over half an hour at the police station. Following this, the chairman addressed 250 staff members at the hospital and assured them that they will do their best to take care of their needs.
“Post the meeting, the chairman also addressed the staff present at the hospital premises wherein many misconceptions were dispelled. The board of trustees reiterated their commitment to the staff while assuring that their anxieties and concerns remains on top of their mind. Amin Manekia also assured the staff of early salary release, considering the ongoing festival season,” a statement issued by the hospital read.
Radiologist Dr Sanjay Jain, who has been working with PAKH for the past 30 years, said, “Even tsunamis give warnings but we were unaware of the developments until the email was sent to us. It has been a week since the management sent us the email on the temporary shut down and we are still in shock with no direction and clueless about our future.”
“The doctors and staff should be respected for their contribution towards the patients and the hospital. There should be transparency. We felt there was a major communication gap and hope justice is done to make this painful process more bearable,” Dr Jain said. He and other doctors have taken to YouTube to voice their concerns against the PAKH management decisions.
Suhas Pathare, who works in the admission department of the hospital and a member of one of the three unions at PAKH, said, “The email spoke about the temporary shutdown and the structural audit. This was too sudden. None of us was kept in the loop. All we want to know now from the management is what is happening to our jobs. Do we still have it? Will we get our salaries? We want them to answer our queries.”
“The chairman said he will meet us on Monday again. We will continue to report to work on Sunday too like we normally do,” Pathare added.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the hospital Dr Shabana Khan has reportedly put in her papers. Dr Khan had taken over as the CEO of the hospital in November 2020 after Dr Sanjay Oak, who also was heading the state Covid-19 task force, resigned.
Asif Parack, media consultant for PAKH said the management is awaiting the second structural audit report that was carried done on August 22. “The report is expected in three to four weeks. Hopefully, we will find a viable solution after that,” he said. Parack said Dr Khan’s resignation was nothing to do with the ongoing issues.
Earlier this year, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) announced the expansion plan for PAKH. A 350-bed hospital is expected to come up opposite the current hospital in the next five years.
The 154-bed PAKH started off as a 16-bed nursing home in 1945 and during the Covid-19 pandemic, it treated more than 3,000 Covid-19 patients. At present, the hospital has seven admitted patients. The hospital treats over 170,000 outpatients and 9,000 in-patients annually.