Nurses go on strike for hike in grade pay

Tribune News Servic, Dehradun, September 10

The indefinite strike called by the Uttarakhand Nurses Service Association in support of its demands badly affected health services in all government hospitals in the state today.

Earlier, the protesting nurses went on a three-day casual leave and the number of patients arriving in hospitals started decreasing. The Doon Hospital that is usually bustling with patients today wore a deserted look. The children’s ward and the orthopaedic ward were virtually empty.

In the Women’s Hospital, patients and their attendants coming from Chakrata Road, who had prior appointments, especially expectant mothers, had to go to other hospitals.

Though the Uttarakhand government has evoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the state, the belligerent nurses said they had patiently waited for two years for the government to fulfil their main demand of grade pay hike. “We had apprised Health Minister SS Negi about the lackadaisical attitude of the government and our patience, but he did not agree to our demand,” said Anjana Bhowmick, president of the Uttarakhand Nurses Service Association.

Meanwhile, Dr RP Bhatt, Director General, Health, said efforts were being made to bring around nurses. “We are willing to hold talks with them but they should not resort to strike, as it affects patients,” he said. However, things were little better at the Coronation Hospital in Dehradun where the OPD functioned as usual though no operations were performed.

Patients suffer in Haridwar
Haridwar: Patients were at the receiving hand due to the nurses’ strike in the district. Services at the Women’s Hospital, General Hospital and the Mela Hospital remained paralysed for the fourth consecutive day today.

As a makeshift arrangement, students from Rishikul Ayurvedic College, Gurukul Ayurvedic College and other nursing colleges were called in to aid doctors. Chief Medical Officer Dr Susham Gupta said the strike by nurses was affecting the services. Hence, medical colleges had been directed to send students of nursing and other courses till the strike got over.

At the Women Hospital, which used to witness 12-15 deliveries a day, only two-four deliveries are being reported these days.

The BJP district unit has also supported the nurses’ strike, asking the state government to immediately address their issues. The party activists also held a protest against the state government and Health minister Surendra Singh Negi.

Nurses Sheela, Girija, Anita, Geeta, Shashi, Asha, Reeta, Tapan, Mamta, Babita and Varsha, among others, protested on the government hospital premises.