700+ patients but only eight nurses available in night shift

Nagpur: The strike of nurses is hitting the patients’ service badly in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). The strike continued for the second day on Friday. As per the union, it will continue for indefinite period from Saturday as they were not called for negotiations till Friday night.
The full-day strike began on Thursday and at least 131 nurses were available at GMCH during day shift. This situation turned worse during night shift as only eight nurses were available. More than 700 patients are admitted in the hospital.
TOI visited GMCH on Friday morning and very few nurses were available on duty in morning shift. All of them were working in ICU, surgery and trauma departments as well as emergency departments. No nurse was available in the wards. Patients’ attendants and relatives were seen serving them. The condition of expecting mothers in the labor ward was very poor. Resident doctors were doing additional work, but their number is also limited.
As both government hospital administrations were not able to find out any alternative, they started discharging the patients. Over 55 patients were discharged on Friday from IGGMCH while 104 were discharged from GMCH. Relatives of discharged patients complained that their patient was still not in a position to go home but the doctors insisted them for discharge. Many patients who visited hospital on Friday afternoon and were anticipating to get admitted, were sent back home and asked to come on Monday in both the hospitals. Situation in paediatric ward was serious as parents were asked to do the nursing job.
Officials of nurses union said that they will follow the state-wise schedule of strike and will resort to the indefinite strike from Saturday onwards.