More than 4,000 employees of state-run hospitals in Mumbai sustained a strike for a second consecutive day, leading to significant disruptions in healthcare services across government facilities, including the prominent J J Hospital. The protest centers on the workers’ demand for the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme and other employment-related grievances.

At J J Hospital, outpatient services were limited to urgent and emergency cases, primarily handled by resident doctors, while routine consultations and elective procedures were postponed. A hospital official confirmed that deliveries and critical surgeries were attended to, but non-urgent treatments, such as planned hernia operations, were deferred. Patients from various parts of the state faced difficulties, with several forced to reschedule procedures. Among them, Hamira Shaikh from Kurla noted that her husband’s cataract surgery was delayed, and Pranita Hendve had to postpone her gallbladder operation.

Nurses largely maintained their duties, participating in the strike in a symbolic manner, while cleaning and clerical staff had markedly low attendance, which affected the overall functioning of the hospitals. Satyavan Sawant, secretary of the J J Group Hospital Fourth Grade Employees Union, confirmed that ward boys, cleaning personnel, and other staff members are actively involved in the protest and indicated the strike would continue unless the government addresses their demands.

The union’s principal requests include reinstating the Old Pension Scheme to ensure financial security after retirement, filling vacancies through immediate recruitment, and enforcing the 1981 Government Resolution that entitles dependents of retired employees to employment. Additionally, the union seeks regularisation of staff hired under compassionate appointments and the extension of cashless healthcare benefits to all government hospital employees. Union representatives warned that ongoing understaffing is seriously hampering hospital operations and patient care.

Efforts to obtain comments from Dr. Ajay Bhandarwar, dean of J J Group Hospital, were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, resident doctors in Mumbai’s civic hospitals demonstrated support for workers by wearing black ribbons to protest delays in the Dearness Allowance hike, while continuing to manage patient care without interruption.

Separately, healthcare services at HBT Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari remained affected on the fourth day of a strike by housekeeping and contract workers demanding overdue salaries and provident fund payments. Reports indicated heightened tensions following an alleged attempted assault on the contractor by female workers, prompting police intervention. The workers claim they have not received salary payments for three months, further compounding the disruption of hospital services.