Dumka: Critical care services at Godda Sadar Hospital remained affected for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as 50 contractual employees at the newly set-up ICU ward continued to boycott work over their pending honorarium and provident fund (PF) dues.Agitating staff claimed their salaries have not been paid since March this year and PF contributions have been pending for over a year.Hospital authorities on Tuesday said they are trying to ensure that patients already admitted to the ICU continue to receive treatment, but the disruption has heightened concerns.The new ICU is managed through an outsourcing arrangement with a Giridih-based agency responsible for engaging the contractual workforce. The protesting workers alleged that repeated requests to the agency and the hospital administration seeking disbursal of dues have gone unheeded.Dr Tara Shankar Jha, deputy medical superintendent of the hospital, said efforts were underway to resolve the issue. “Patients who were already admitted to the ICU are being looked after. Discussions are underway at the concerned level regarding the problems being faced by the contractual staff,” he said.
