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Sassoon nurses to go on strike, healthcare services to be affected
Around 1,000 nurses from SGH and about 40,000 nurses from all government hospitals across the state will go on an indefinite strike for various demands
Health services at the city’s Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) are likely to be disrupted from Friday as nurses join an indefinite strike called by Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA) on December 14.
Around 1,000 nurses from SGH and about 40,000 nurses from all government hospitals across the state will go on an indefinite strike for various demands.
The Maharashtra Medical Education Commissioner, the deans of BJ Medical College and SGH, and the district civil surgeon have all received letters from the nurse’s association regarding the protests.
The MSNA in the letter have demanded benefits of the old pension plan, an increase in the age of retirement to 60 years of age from 58 years, stopping contractual appointment of nurses, and offer full-time employment to all the contractual nurses amongst other demands. The association also demanded that the vacant positions in the nursing department be filled immediately as it leads to workload and hampers the quality of care.
Pradnya Gaikwad, executive chairman of MSNA, said, all nurses will go on indefinite strike till all demands are met.
“We want the benefit of pension and to increase age limit of retirement to 60 years of age. At SGH in one ward two nurses cater to 80 patients,” she said.
Dr Kirankumar Jadhav, Medical Superintendent of SGH, said a meeting was held on Monday to check what alternative arrangements can be made during the strike.
“We have decided to take help from the trainee doctors and nurses, paramedical and clinical staff during the strike. We are also going to write to medical colleges and Municipal Corporations to provide us with staff so that the services don’t get hampered,” he said.
