Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In the second phase of their protest, nursing staff of hospitals associated to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College took a mass casual leave and staged demonstration at entrance of Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital on Monday.
Besides pressing for their demands, they alleged that no one in government pays heed and therefore they had no other option but to go on an indefinite strike from June 30. However, the staff was seen divided in groups as one group didn’t support strike and continued to work.
Medical services in the hospitals were hit but the administration claimed that they had called nursing students and NHM staff due to which work went on as usual.
Nurses Association president Dharmendra Pathak said, “We are continuously protesting to press for our demands and we will continue till demands are not met.”
He said that the medical college and hospital administration tried to stop them from agitation and served a warning notice for action against them under Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
The president of the association claimed that about 300 staff members had taken mass casual leave on Monday.
Their major demands include increase in grade pay, implantation of pension scheme, appointment on compassionate grounds. We have been requesting government to consider long-pending demands but to no avail. We have decided for a week-long protest.
No work affected
MY Hospital superintendent Dr PS Thakur said no work was affected due to strike of nursing staff. “About 109 regular staff and 39 staff of NHM worked as per routine, which didn’t affect work. The OPDs functioned as usual where 2,058 people visited while 26 major surgeries were performed,” the Superintendent said.
MGM Medical College dean Dr Sanjay Dixit said, “Notice to agitating staff has been issued and action will be taken. Medical services are vital at the time of pandemic and anyone affecting the services should be ready to face music.”
