Protest at Chinmaya Mission Hospital in Bengaluru disrupts Covid-19 services

A staff protest at the Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH) on Saturday morning has disrupted the admittance of new Covid-19 patients.

The hospital has 84 beds set aside for Covid-19 patients, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). “We have 80+ Covid-19 patients currently at the hospital. Those who are set to be discharged will go, but the admittance of new Covid-19 patients is something that is still up in the air,” said the former DG&IG of Police, Gopal Hosur, CEO of the Hospital.

Employee anger is said to have been stoked by the recent sale of two ambulances donated to the hospital by a charitable organization, plus the sacking of a staff nurse. The sale has been described as “counterproductive.”

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“The hospital has outsourced ambulance services to two external companies, which have increased the cost per trip to Rs 4,000. When using our in-house ambulances, the cost per trip was about Rs 500,” said an employee association leader.

Hosur described the sale of the ambulances as being made in the interests of economy. “The ambulances were being used only once a day. A more economically viable option was to hire ambulances whenever we need them,” Hosur said.

Employees are also said to be vexed over the suspension of two association leaders after they demanded the reinstatement of the nurse who was dismissed. The management said that her performance was “unsatisfactory.”

According to the Employees Association all 500 employees enrolled in the association have joined the protest. The hospital has a total staff of 700. A video of the protest sent to DH showed hundreds of people lined up in protest outside the hospital. The CMH management confirmed that all 100 staff nurses and auxiliary staff of the morning shift had not turned up for work.

“If this continues, we may have to fill the positions with medical staff brought in from outside. We still have patients who require constant attention,” Hosur said.

Leaders of the Employees Association said the protest will continue until their suspension is revoked.