Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Aug 29:
While nurses of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) are showing no sign of returning to work as yet, patient parties from some important wards of the hospital gave vent to frustration by confronting RIMS authorities on the second day of the nurses' agitation today.
Left unwillingly at the hospital beds owing to the ceasework strike, some patients having complicated pregnancy cases had to be referred to other medical centres even as some disgruntled people, mostly relatives of the left-out patients demonstrated at the campus of RIMS today.
While the doctors at the gynaecology ward were busy referring complicated cases including those patients requiring caesarian surgery, a commotion was caused when hundreds of patient parties demanded that the patients be provided further treatment at the hospital rather than be issued 'discharge letters'.
However, the matter was prevented from going out of hand when RIMS Superintendent Dr Mohen Singh prevailed upon the agitated public of the hospital and doctors' helplessness in carrying out complicated operation without the assistance of nurses.
Functioning of RIMS had been paralysed since yesterday after the ceasework strike began under the banner of Trained Nurses Association of India, RIMS unit in pursuit of demands pertaining to job regularisation of the nurses who are working on contract basis, among others.
RIMS director Dr L Fimate, pointing out that some of the nurses' proposals are unjustified had appealed to the striking medical personnel to resume their duty in the interest of the public.
It is also learnt that RIMS is engaging some trainee nurses from the state run nursing institutes.
Owing to the stir, RIMS authorities shut down the casualty ward and operation theatre of the institute forcing patients to shift to other hospitals.
On the other hand, the striking nurses are sticking firmly to their demand, despite warning from RIMS authorities that strong punitive action would be taken up, saying they would continue the stir until and unless their grievances are addressed.
speaking to reporters at the Uripok Khumanthem Leikai office of TNAI, manipur unit this evening, the Association president W Sorodhoni informed that yet another ultimatum has been served anew to the RIMS Director today to fulfil the nurses' demands which have been undermined in the past.
Reacting to comments of Prof L fimate regarding appointment of two Public Health Nurses, sorodhoni alleged contradictory qualification norms published for the twin post.
Elucidating, she claimed that previous practices of following Lady Hardinge Medical College norms for such enrolment had been violated as advertisement issued by the RIMS authority for the twin posts insisted on the desirous candidates holding either Diploma (passed) or BSc Nursing in addition to being a practising nurse.
Hurling further allegations against the RIMS authorities, the State unit TNAI chief expressed strong resentment for non-compliance to documented prescription of either regularisation or service extension of 153 nurses enrolled on contract basis.
While on the one hand, RIMS authorities are deliberately undermining interest of the nurses who had completed five years of service, ignoring proposals by the nurses' body for filling up 39 vacant posts in a phased manner from amongst the 'contract employees' and processes for fresh recruitment of 55 nurses is akin to rubbing salt to the wound, opined Sorodhoni and cautioned that such unhealthy trend would only magnify the problem.
clarifying that nurses employed on contract basis are not involved in the current agitation, she also contended that prior information was issued barring entry of staff nurses into the hospital during the stir period.
Proposals of RIMS authorities to rope in service of trainee nurses shift-wise would also be a premature policy as trainee nurses are unlikely to carry out their responsibility properly in the absence of staff nurses or nursing tutor, she warned.