Bhopal: Hamidia Hospital to Lay Off Over 400 Employees; Workers To Protest On Jan 13

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal is preparing to terminate the services of over 400 employees. This month, more than 50 employees, including ward boys, lab technicians, and computer operators, were given termination letters, with a deadline set for January 20.

The decision came after Gandhi Medical College (GMC) became a private outsourcing company. It is said many of these employees were hired during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet increased demand.

According to information, Hamidia Hospital treats over 2,500 outpatients daily and performs more than 60 surgeries. Despite this workload, the hospital management claims that 400 employees exceed the workforce.

At present, the hospital employs over 1,800 private workers. This includes cleaners, data entry operators, ward boys, and computer operators. Out of these, around 1,100 employees are paid directly by the hospital management, while 700 are managed by the outsourcing company Agile.

‘Hospital suffers protest by overburdened staff’

The hospital’s dean Dr. Kavita N. Singh said the employment would be based on the sanctioned positions provided by the government. Currently, the hospital has faced multiple strikes from its overburdened staff, especially the ward boys, who have protested twice in the past month over unpaid salaries.

‘Salaries remain unpaid’

On the other hand, president of the Outsourced Workers' Union at Hamidia Hospital Mohal Sagar, announced plans for another strike on January 13. According to him, despite repeated assurances, their pending salaries remain unpaid. Additionally, termination letters are being issued to more employees than ordered.