Doctors at Apollo Hospital Guwahati have a dispute with the local administration. The hospital’s doctors’ forum sought intervention from the group’s top leadership and demanded an independent review of the institution’s administration.
Doctors have reportedly decided to continue providing emergency services and withdraw from outpatient services and elective surgeries for two days after members of the hospital’s local administration allegedly insulted a senior doctor.
According to sources, the matter created a lot of anger among the doctors and subsequently the corporate leadership of Apollo Hospitals was also brought to the notice of the matter.
In a letter to Apollo Hospitals vice-chairperson Pritha Reddy, joint managing director Sangeeta Reddy and doctors Madhu and Rohini, the doctors’ forum alleged a growing breach of trust between medical staff and the local administration.
The forum said concerns have been brewing over the administration’s actions for more than two years, but recently senior doctor M.P. Das and Ashish Agarwal highlight the issue.
The letter names Chief Operating Officer Manoj Roy, Human Resources Head Pratik Aggarwal, Operations Head Amar Sharma and Medical Superintendent Hirak Das and alleges that the current leadership has failed to create an environment of mutual respect and professional dignity.
According to doctors, conflict between the administration and medical professionals has created resentment and mistrust within the institution.
The forum also alleges that hospital decisions have been influenced by short-term financial considerations at the expense of the institution’s larger commitment to patient care and professional ethics.
Hospital sources also alleged that doctors are being victimized by expectations of revenue-related results. They claim that patients were in some cases encouraged to undergo comprehensive diagnostic tests, including a complete physical health package, even if they sought treatment for specific diseases, resulting in additional costs. These allegations could not be independently verified.
Doctors say that such practices, along with the existing administrative work culture, have affected morale and eroded trust within the organization.
“Many of us have dedicated more than 25 years of our professional lives to building this facility.
The letter mentioned the “abandoned look” of the OPD during the strike, sparking anger among senior doctors who had invested decades in building the hospital.
For corrective action, the forum called for a re-evaluation of the current administrative structure and leadership, saying it needed to restore trust among doctors and staff.
The doctors, however, reiterated their commitment to the institution and said they were seeking the intervention in the interest of the hospital’s long-term development and reputation.
Apollo Hospital Guwahati has not responded to the complaint till the writing of this report.