Nurses

In stipulate for promotion

Kavita Laithangbam

The RIMS Nurses Association launched a strike from 10th June demanding the review of promotion of six nursing staff to nursing superintendents by an order issued on February 18,2014. Talks between the nurse’s representatives and Dr. S. Sekharjit, Director failed to yield a fruitful result. The representatives of the Nurses felt that the “out of turn” promotion of one Binokumari Khetrimayum, a schedule caste candidate was uncalled for. Their point of contention was that the appointment should have been made on the basis of seniority.

Dr Sekharjit told EP that it was a puerile, unconstitutional and untenable demand. Reservation which is guaranteed by the constitution is something nobody can touch. If the reservation is manipulated the Minorities commission shall not remain silent and responsibility will be fixed. The Director further said that imaginery charges had been levelled against him by the striking nurses. He was charged with disobeying the court order, he clarified that there was no court order and that he had not violated it.

"In response to appeals by the CMT hundreds of nurses come forth for voluntary services in the larger interest of the patients."

Regarding the promotion of the six nurses he said that there was no court order restraining the RIMS authority or asking it to revoke the promotions. Nurses belonging to the scheduled caste, schedule tribe and those who had completed probation did not join the strike. Besides several others belonging to general category did not join. Some ST/SC nurses later said that they joined the strike not knowing what that was about. Once they learned that it was against the constitutional provision of reservation they sidled away.
Hospital sources said that all available nurses were pressed into service in ICU, operation theatre, emergency ward. But then it was a fact that the hospital services were affected. Pandam,an NGO which has been monitoring the healthcare services in the state appealed for bringing about a settlement since people are suffering. Even people who are BPL were forced to seek medical aid in expensive private hospitals. Some other NGOs and students organisations had urged both the nurses and the RIMS authority to come to an understanding.

The RIMS authority had constituted a Crisis management Team chaired by Dr N. Damayanti, head of Anatomy department, who is credited for the setting of the Dental college, the first of its kind in Manipur and College of Nursing.

"Once it became clear that voluntary nurses could hold the fort they, nurses agreed to talk with the RIMS authority. Dr Damayanti said that at the most the services of 150 nurses would be required to run the emergency services. In view of the electrifying response from the nurses it would be no problem to keep the hospital running."

In response to appeals by the CMT hundreds of nurses came forth for voluntary services in the larger interest of the patients.However at this stage Teachers’ and medical Officers’ Association, RIMS served a notice to the RIMS authority on June 16. It said that if the RIMS authority fails to come to an understanding with the striking nurses by 4 pm on June 17 it will take up appropriate actions including cessation of normal patient care services. It said that the demand of nurses— is “reasonable”. It also took strong exception to the “division of staff based on their caste snd religion” since these are unjustified. The meeting also condemned it.

It was not explained how the doctors found the demand for revocation of the promotion done on the basis of reservation “reasonable”.
There were many media offensives by the nurses who refused to come to the negotiating table. But once it became clear that voluntary nurses could hold the fort they, nurses agreed to talk with the RIMS authority. Dr Damayanti said that at the most the services of 150 nurses would be required to run the emergency services. In view of the electrifying response from the nurses it would be no problem to keep the hospital running.

She said that it is for the people and the RIMS authority to establish the motive behind the ceasework strike which was an inexcusable crime against the patients. Her main concern was to ensure uninterrupted service to the patients.
On June 17 there was a meeting between the RIMS officials and representatives of the striking nurses. It was agreed that the strike would be suspended. RIMS will also hold on the promotion order till high officials of the health ministry come to assess the situation. Because the reservation roster is something that can be manipulated. The nurses resumed duty from the next day. Since April this year there have been four strikes in RIMS which is not in the interest of the people.

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