Sudden Resignation of 9 Doctors at Mumbai’s J.J. Hospital Sparks Controversy

Mumbai, 1st June 2023: The abrupt and unexpected resignation of nine doctors, including Dr. Tatya Rao Lahane, the coordinator of Cataract-free Maharashtra, from Mumbai’s J.J. Hospital on Wednesday has sent shockwaves through the medical community. This incident has triggered a significant debate within Mumbai’s medical field, bringing the long-standing dispute between the hospital administration and the doctors to a boiling point.

In an interview with TV9, Dr. Tatya Rao Lahane shared his side of the story, shedding light on the reasons behind the resignations and providing a chronological account of events. Meanwhile, the resident doctors at J.J. Hospital have initiated a strike to express their own grievances and demands.

Dr. Tatya Rao Lahane expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “A resident doctor, who joined us six months ago, complained to the authorities on the 22nd that he was not allowed to perform surgeries. However, we have doctors who have studied for three years and are fully qualified to perform these procedures. We have been working for the past 30 years. Instead of trusting the expertise of those who have three or thirty years of experience, the superiors chose to question us and put their faith in doctors who joined only six months ago. A one-sided report was sent without giving us an opportunity to present our side or conducting an inquiry.”

Dr. Tatya Rao Lahane also revealed another pressing issue, stating, “I have not received my salary for the past year. I was fined Rs. 7 lakh for quarters. Despite these challenges, we continued to serve the underprivileged. However, as their suffering increased day by day, we felt that something needed to be done. Ragini, who has eight years of service left, also decided to take voluntary retirement. We tried to explain our situation to the administration, but they took a stand against us without proper dialogue.”

Highlighting the lack of fairness in the situation, Dr. Tatya Rao Lahane emphasized, “After dedicating 30 years to this profession, we were given a one-sided report within four hours, without any opportunity for an inquiry. The administration demanded our transfers and took disciplinary action against us. Ever since the new administration took over, we haven’t received any support. We have always faced obstacles in patient care. If the opinions of doctors who joined only six months ago are given more weight than our expertise, we have decided not to continue working in this department.”

The resignation of these highly experienced doctors and the ongoing strike by the resident doctors at J.J. Hospital have raised serious concerns about the state of affairs within the medical institution. It remains to be seen how the hospital administration and the doctors will resolve their differences and address the underlying issues affecting patient care and the medical professionals at J.J. Hospital.