JNIMS staff go on strike, routine services affected
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 24 2012:
Routine operation services at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital were paralysed as more than 400 staff comprising of nurses, paramedical and Grade-IV employees have taken mass casual leave for three days to air a number of grievances from today.
Before shifting to JNIMS, these medical staff were the employees of erstwhile Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital under State Health Department.
Non-payment of monthly salary, non-transferring of GPF amount deducted from their salary to AG account, blocking of withdrawal of GPF amount, non-payment of retirement benefits and unsound service conditions are the grievances being aired by the agitating employees.
The agitating employees said that at a time when these 400 employees are irked by a number of grievances, monthly salary starting from July this year has not been cleared till date.
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Apart from suspension of routine operations, services at Central Sterilization and Supply Department (CSSD) and laundry came to a grinding halt in the hospital due to the stir.
The employees said that all the staff of operation theatre, CSSD and laundry service were shifted from erstwhile JN Hospital to JNIMS.
Around 30 operations are conducted daily in JNIMS operation theatre which has eight tables and many patients are still lodged in different wards of the hospital who need emergency operation.
JNIMS Director Prof L Chandramani told The Sangai Express that employees salary could not be paid in time due to non-release of fund by the State Government.
However, he added, the State Government has recently released Rs 16 crores for the said purpose.
Although the said amount is not enough for the full clearance of employees' monthly salary, it is manageable, he added.
The Director also expressed hope that a solution would be brought with the agitating employees as he was communicating with them to hold a meeting on October 25 .
He claimed that emergency and OPD services were not affected by the strike as the JNIMS administration was making best effort in this regard.