Staff nurses go on hunger strike demanding service regularisation

CHENNAI: Over 400 staff nurses posted on Covid duty, went on a hunger strike at the DMS Campus, pressing for their demand to be roped into government service on Thursday. After our previous demands to the health department failed, we decided to go on for the strike, said the nurses on strike.

R Sindhan, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu Government Contract Nurses Association said, “During the Covid crisis in May, the Health Department, recruited over 3,000 staff nurses on Covid duty -who had written the Medical Recruitment Board exam and were on waiting list. Now, even after the six months tenure they have been given an extension of two months.

So we request that these staff nurses get into government service.”  A staff nurse who worked for six months in Government Medical College Hospital in Chennai said, “Over 200 nurses were infected  while on duty. The Health Department can make our posting permanent as the department has many vacancies.” 
“For around five months I stayed in the hostel leaving my children behind.

We took it as a challenge and worked. We are also eligible staff nurses as we appeared for Medical Recruitment Board and was on the waiting list. So, there should not be a problem in observing us into government services,” said another staff nurse.

Speaking to Express, Director of Medical Services S Gurunathan said, “Appointment with the Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan will be fixed soon. They have given representation that under special consideration their request for permanent post should be considered.

They will be discussing the same with the Health Secretary.” The nurses dispersed only after the Director of Medical Services met them and assured that their grievance would be considered and a meeting with the Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan will be arranged soon.