The stir by staff nurses of Diphu Civil Hospital in Karbi Anglong district of Assam has become louder with Assam Government still not responding to the demands of staff nurses working in various government hospitals of the state till Thursday.
The 47 GNM nurses of Diphu Civil Hospital along with 20 contractual GNM nurses appointed by NHM, who were sitting in front of Diphu Civil Hospital from 7 am in the morning on agitation were taken to Diphu Police Station at 11 am on detention. They were let off after two hours.
The staff nurses ceased work from November 26 and patients were affected on the fourth day.
The agitating GNM nurses shouted slogans against State Health Minister. The nurses were also demanding release of All Assam Nurses Association, president Junu Chutia Dhingia, who was detained by police early Thursday morning.
The nurses criticized Executive Member (EM), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Health & Family Welfare, Khonsing Rongpi.
The All Assam Nurses Association has launched a statewide indefinite agitation from Monday last pressing for their demand before the State Government for amendment of salary structure published in the Revision of Pay (ROP) of the Seventh Pay Commission, retaining of GNM nurses as staff nurses and service rule for staff nurses.
Joint Director of Health Services, Karbi Anglong, Dr Kareng Rongpipi and Diphu Civil Hospital, Superintendent, Dr Nukul Shyam met the agitating nurses to call off their agitation as the government is taking up the matter for discussion. Their approach was, however, fruitless.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, D Singson and magistrate Upasana Dutta also came to Diphu Civil Hospital. Karbi Anglong Nurses Association, president, Seema Devi said, “We are fighting for our post. The post of staff nurses for GNM nurses should be retained by the government. All the 47 staff nurses and 20 GNM nurses of NHM are here in the agitation. We have ceased work to draw the attention of the government, but if any inconvenience has occurred in the hospital, the government will be responsible for that.”
The GNM nurses are demanding pay parity pointing out that there are two basic pay, Rs 6,400 and Rs 7, 800.