Nurses’ strike hits hospitals’ functioning, tension at BMH

Kozhikode/T'puram: The strike by United Nurses Association (UNA), demanding a hike in the minimum monthly salary to Rs 40,000 along with other benefits, disrupted the functioning of several private hospitals in the state.Many hospitals had to postpone scheduled surgeries and stopped fresh inpatient admissions as the agitation intensified. Some hospitals continued operations with nurses who are not part of UNA.In Kozhikode, hospital managements requested the district collector and the district medical officer to ensure treatment for patients arriving for emergency care and shifting of patients to govt medical college hospital if the strike continued.Tension prevailed at Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH) after UNA representatives alleged that the hospital management had locked trainee nurses inside rooms and were forcing them to resume duty.They alleged that the hospital management also threatened to dismiss the nurses if they did not return to work and that hospital management engaged in a scuffle with union representatives who questioned the move in the morning. Around 600 nurses at BMH are participating in the strike. On Monday evening, UNA organised a march to the hospital at 4pm, expressing solidarity with the striking nurses."The number of inpatients is now just about 20% of our capacity. We have informed the district collector that if the strike continues, the remaining patients may have to be shifted to the medical college hospital. Even transplant surgeries have been postponed," a BMH representative said.UNA district office-bearer Jishnu said that the strike would continue until the demands were accepted.UNA leader Jasmine Shah said that out of the 490 hospitals in the state, 313 — including many small and medium hospitals — agreed to implement the new wage structure. He alleged that large corporate hospitals were resisting the demand despite charging high fees from patients.Shah warned that attempts by corporate managements to suppress the agitation through threats would not succeed.UNA leaders also said the strike was total in several other hospitals in Kozhikode city.Meanwhile, striking nurses staged a dharna in front of the district collectorate. PWD minister P A Mohammed Riyas, who was passing through the road in front of the collectorate in an open jeep after inaugurating the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu road, was booed by the protesters.Hospital managements, however, maintained that it was not possible to immediately implement a basic salary of Rs 40,000, though they were willing to pay the salary fixed by the govt. Arguments in hospitals were also reported from Kochi. (With inputs from agencies)