Nurses’ strike affects services in Bhopal & Indore hosps

Bhopal: Nursing staff remained on strike at major government hospitals in the state capital and Indore on Monday affecting patient care services at some hospitals. The state wide protest call was given to press their demands for better pay and old pension scheme facility.

Work was affected to some extent at JP and Katju hospitals in Bhopal, however Hamida hospital remained mostly unaffected. Meanwhile in Indore Around 4000 nursing staff went on an indefinite strike from Monday demanding increase in their grade pay and issues related to patients in government health facilities.

The nurses are likely to continue strike on Tuesday too, said sources. There are around 165 staff nurses at JP hospital, but officials roped in contractual nursing staff to tackle the situation as the nurses remained on strike, sources said. It is a statewide strike call that had mixed responses in other districts of the state too, said sources. Nursing Officers Association state president Ramesh Jaat said, “The association has started a statewide indefinite strike demanding an increase in salary, night allowance, third and fourth salary hike and increase in stipend of nursing students.”

On the other hand, MY Hospital, Indore had arranged for 250 nursing staff from nursing colleges and private hospitals to run the services smoothly. MYH superintendent Dr PS Thakur said, “Nursing staff from private hospitals and students from colleges were called for giving services in the hospital amidst the strike. Health services were run without any major issue.”