By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: A simmering stand-off between doctors and the local management of Apollo Hospitals Guwahati has come out in the open, with the hospital’s Doctors’ Forum seeking intervention from the group’s top leadership and demanding an independent review of the institution’s administration.
The development comes after doctors reportedly decided to stay away from Outpatient Department (OPD) services and elective surgeries for two days while continuing emergency services, protesting the alleged humiliation of a senior doctor by members of the hospital’s local administration.
Sources said the issue triggered widespread resentment among doctors and was subsequently escalated to Apollo Hospitals’ corporate leadership.
In a letter addressed to Apollo Hospitals Vice Chairperson Preetha Reddy, Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy, and doctors Madhu and Rohini, the Doctors’ Forum alleged a growing breakdown of trust between the medical fraternity and the local administration.
The forum said concerns over the functioning of the administration had been building for over two years but recent events involving senior doctors M.P. Das and Ashish Agarwal had brought matters to a head.
The letter named Chief Operating Officer Manoj Roy, Head of Human Resources Pratik Agarwal, Operations Head Amar Sarma and Medical Superintendent Hirak Das, alleging that the present leadership had failed to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and professional dignity.
According to the doctors, interactions between the administration and medical professionals have increasingly led to dissatisfaction and mistrust within the institution.
The forum further alleged that hospital decisions were being influenced by short-term financial considerations at the cost of the institution’s larger commitment to patient care and professional ethics.
Sources within the hospital also alleged that doctors were being subjected to revenue-linked performance expectations. They claimed patients were, in some cases, encouraged to undergo extensive diagnostic tests, including full-body health packages, even when they sought treatment for specific ailments, resulting in additional costs. These allegations could not be independently verified.
The doctors said such practices, coupled with the prevailing administrative culture, were affecting morale and damaging confidence within the institution.
“Many of us have dedicated more than 25 years of our professional life exclusively to build this institution,” the forum said, urging the Apollo leadership to undertake a central and independent assessment of the situation in Guwahati.
The letter also referred to the “deserted look” of the OPD during the strike, saying it had caused anguish among senior doctors who had invested decades in building the hospital.
Seeking corrective action, the forum called for a reassessment of the current administrative structure and leadership, saying it was necessary to restore confidence among doctors and staff.
The doctors, however, reiterated their commitment to the institution and said they were seeking intervention in the interest of the hospital’s long-term growth and reputation.
Apollo Hospital Guwahati had not responded to the allegations till the filing of this report.