AIIMS nursing staff strike hits health services in Bathinda

Bathinda, December 10

Owing to the strike by about 600 nursing staff members of AIIMS here for the past five days, the health services have been severely hit. On an average, 1,200 patients visit OPDs on a daily basis at the 765-bed hospital.

In view of the crippling nursing staff crunch, the doctors have also said that they will not be able to conduct routine operations. Only critical cases are being handled with the assistance of medical interns and nursing students. The stand-off between the nursing staff and the hospital management has led to about 50 per cent cut in the number of patients.

Those admitted to the hospital, who did not require much post-operative care, were being discharged as interns and nursing students were under stress with this additional burden following the strike. Even in the OPDs, there is no proper sample collection of patients and the doctors are taking the help of plaster technician and other technical staff.

The protesting nurses are demanding promotions, fixation of their probation period to two years and eight holidays a month. “The management doesn’t care to hear what we’re saying for the last one month, forcing us to go on strike,” alleged the protesters.

On the other hand, Dr Rajiv Gupta, Medical Superintendent (MS), AIIMS, Bathinda, said seven nursing officers met the management of AIIMS here and Dr DK Singh, director of the institute, assured them of addressing their concerns.

“We requested them to join the duties, but despite all our assurance, they are continuing with the strike,” the MS said. The management claimed that the recruitment of nursing officers came under the Mission Recruitment Policy formulated by the Government of India. The institute followed the guidelines set by the government and any demand related to recruitment was beyond its authority.

Want promotions, 8 holidays a month

• Doctors have said they will not be able to conduct routine operations owing to the staff strike
• The stand-off has led to about 50 per cent drop in patient arrivals at the hospital
• The patients, who did not require much post-operative care, are being discharged
• Even in the OPDs, there is no proper collection of samples from patients
• The doctors are taking the help of plaster technicians and other technical staff members
• Protesters want promotions, fixing of probation period to 2 years and 8 holidays a month