Pune’s Kashibai Navale Hospital staff haven’t been paid for months and are on strike.
The strike has left the hospital nearly empty, disrupting patient care.
Employees face severe financial hardships, while the administration promises gradual salary payments.
Pune, 1st October 2025: Staff at Kashibai Navale Hospital are struggling to make ends meet as many have not received their salaries for the past nine months. Employees, including nurses, attendants, and technicians, say they are forced to walk to work due to lack of transport money and survive on minimal meals, often just chutney with dry chapati.
Since December last year, salaries have been delayed, and from September 24, nearly 1,600 hospital staff, excluding doctors, have been on strike. Outpatient services and patient care have been severely affected, leaving hospital wards empty, including the new building’s outpatient department. Around 700 nurses are among those participating in the strike.
One cleaning staff member from Bibvewadi shared her struggles: “I have to walk long distances to reach the hospital because I can’t afford transport. My house rent is overdue, and the landlord is threatening to evict me. My husband passed away six months ago, and I’m responsible for my son, who is in 12th grade, and my daughter. I can’t even pay school fees or buy proper meals.”
Employees also highlight the pressure of festive expenses and basic necessities: “We want to celebrate festivals, but we can’t afford groceries. Our loans are overdue, and some of us had to pawn jewelry to pay bank notices. Many of us have been working here for 18 years, but we don’t even have a provident fund. We just want the salaries we earned.”
Due to financial hardships, employees avoid inviting relatives over for festivals, fearing requests for money. One employee said, “When my daughter asked for 100 rupees, I could only give 30, and it felt terrible. We just can’t live like this.”
Dr. Arvind Bhore, Medical Director of Kashibai Navale Hospital, said that one month of salaries has been paid, and remaining payments will be made gradually. “Hospital expenses are high, and although many students receive government scholarships, payments for other services are pending. Every employee will receive their dues; no one will be left unpaid,” he assured.
