Private hospitals say ‘no’ to salary hike for nurses

Private hospital owners have said they would not implement the government order issued on Monday to hike salaries for nurses and that they plan to challenge the order in court.

The decision was taken at their meeting in Kochi on Thursday.

Financial burden

The government issued the order in the face of a strike by the nurses, said Kerala Private Hospitals’ Association general secretary Hussein Koya Thangal.

The private hospitals are not in a financial position to bear the burden of the increase in the salaries and other benefits, he said.

When the salaries are increased for nurses, that of other staff too will have to be raised.

‘On verge of closure’

Around 60% of the private hospitals in the State are on the verge of closure. At present, around 40% of the revenue of the hospitals is given as salaries.

But with the proposed hike in salaries, the rate will go up to 64%.

To overcome this situation, the hospitals will be forced to hike charges, which in turn can create a big problem in the health-care sector, he added.

The decisions taken by the private hospitals would be conveyed to the government and if the government did not heed to the opinion of the managements, the order would be challenged in court, he said.