The strike called by Maharashtra Rajya Paricharika Sanghatna had a mixed effect on the two major tertiary care hospitals--Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). While IGGMCH remained unaffected, in GMCH, around 50% surgeries were postponed. Of the four unions of nurses, only one called the strike to press their demands. The strike by nurses entered third day and the services in the hospital are getting hampered. In GMCH, daily 180 minor and 75 major surgeries take place, including the planned ones.

 

The minor surgeries have come down to 80, while of the major procedures, 45 to 50 have been conducted. The major procedures remaining are the planned ones. GMCH administration admitted that the nurses’ strike surely affected the regular services. One doctor, on condition of anonymity, said, “Number of nurses is already low and hospital administration has become habituated to functioning with those many nurses. Secondly, in our set-up, less responsibility has been bestowed upon the nurses.

 

 

All the GMCHs are not adhering to the nurse:patient ratio. In General Ward, one nurse is required for three beds, while in ICU, one nurse takes care of only one patient. Shockingly, in most GMCHs, one nurse works in the whole ICU of minimum 30 beds. The hospital struggles when that lone nurse too goes on leave.

 

 

Maharashtra State Nurses Association is constantly pursuing regular creation of posts at various levels of nurses, 100% permanent recruitment and 100% promotion in line with the increasing population in the State, and this demand of nurses has been ignored at the Government level for years, which is very unfortunate. Nurses, who are considered the backbone of patient care, are always neglected. Nurses have to protest every time to draw the Government’s attention to this serious issue. This issue has been raised umpteen times. This is causing anger among nurses. Therefore, the salary errors of employees working as head nurses, nurses, and curriculum directors should be eliminated, and 100% permanent recruitment should be started immediately by cancelling the contractual recruitment of nurses. More than 50% of the vacant posts to be filled by promotion should be filled by promotion immediately, it demanded.