Ranchi, April 24: Over an hour of dialogue with health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi put an end to the on-going agitation of contract nurses at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).
The state government pledged to pay heed to their grievances during the meet that was also attended by special secretary Nidhi Khare and RIMS director N.N. Agarwal. Representatives of the contract nurses’ association were also present at the deliberation.
The 396-odd nurses who have been working for the past four years have been staging dharnas and protests since April 16 to make their services permanent. They have also demanded perks and benefits that the permanent RIMS staff enjoys.
Though the nurses had threatened to go on indefinite strike from May 1, they told Sahi after the meeting that their plans were called off.
Sahi said the association had accepted their request because they wouldn’t want patients to suffer under any circumstances.
The minister has willingly agreed to provide a dress allowance twice a year and also construct houses to solve accommodation problems. That apart, nurses would be entitled to leaves on January 26, August 15 and October 2.
A committee headed by the RIMS director has also been formed to consider the nurses’ main demand for permanent employment. The body would decide on making them permanent in a time-bound manner.
The contract nurses’ association of RIMS has expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the deliberations.
“We were forced to start the agitation as there was no other alternative. We are working hard like any other permanent employee but are not entitled to any benefits like provident fund, housing or dress allowance,” said association chairperson R. Rani Rai.
Meanwhile, Sahi announced that the state government has signed agreements with six hospitals for sending patients below poverty line (BPL) for treatment for which the government would bear all expenses.
These hospitals include BP Poddar Hospital, Ruby General Hospital and Peerless Hospital (Calcutta), Mercy Hospital (Jamshedpur), Metro Heart Centre (Delhi) and Sishir Seva Kendra (Ranchi).
“We have terminated the MoUs with Apollo Hospital, Seva Sadan and CMC, Vellore, as the cost of treatment was higher,” claimed the health minister.
