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Services in government hospitals hit as nurses go on strike, Delhi govt cracks down
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to force striking nurses to return to duty in its 33 hospitals and
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to force striking nurses to return to duty in its 33 hospitals and several dispensaries.
Thousands of nurses joined a pan-India strike on Friday to demand changes to the seventh pay commission.
“All regular nurses went on an indefinite strike on Friday morning.,” said a government release.
The government termed the services as essential and prohibited the nurses from going on a strike for six months.
Under the act, the striking nurses can be imprisoned for up to three years if they fail to return to work. “As soon as the notification reaches the hospital, the police will be asked to detain all leaders of the strike,” a source said.
“In addition to normal workload, a large number of fever cases are being reported in hospitals and dispensaries. For these patients, the Delhi government has made special arrangements. The strike will cause immense hardships for those who need emergency care,” the release read.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) reported 487 cases of dengue and 432 cases of chikungunya till August 27. Two dengue deaths were also reported.
Barring nursing staff from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), around 25,000 nurses went on strike across government-run hospitals in Delhi on Friday.
At Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 150 contractual nursing staff and students ran the out-patient department (OPD) and the emergency services.
“With the nurses on strike, we had to give medicines, saline and injections to the patients in the wards,” said a resident doctor from RML hospital, on condition of anonymity.
Services were hit in Lok Nayak Hospital and Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini also.
The nurses have demanded an increase in their grade pay.
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