Contractual nurses' cease-work enters 8th day

Bhubaneswar: The cease-work agitation by contractual staff nurses appointed under the National Health Mission (NHM) entered eighth day today affecting health care services in several government-run hospitals.

On Sunday, the Odisha Nursing Employees Association expressed its solidarity to the strike staged by thousands of contractual nurses in demand of job regularization and hike in salary. While the nurses have been staging demonstration before their respective district headquarters hospitals (DHHs), the state-level body is staging the stir in the State Capital.

The association said all nurses would wear black badges from December 28 to January 2 and would take to the streets if their demands are not fulfilled even after that.

While president and secretary of the Nursing Employees Association backed away from the strike, other members of the body have continued the stir at the Lower PMG despite the NHM MD warning to take action  against the agitators as per contract if they do not join duty in 24 hours.

Presently, NHM nurses get remuneration of Rs 10,700 a month while regular government staff nurses get between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 including dearness, house rent and uniform allowances.