Skip to main content

Protesting nurses threaten complete strike if demands not met

Islamabad:Protesting nurses of federal government hospitals Monday threatened a full-fledged strike on D-Chowk, should the government continue to lend a deaf ear to their longstanding demands.The demands of the nurses include timescale promotions as per Estacode rules; induction of additional nursing staff in order to bridge the widening nurse-patient ratio and to decrease workload; increase in nurses’ stipend to a minimum of Rs40,000 so that it is brought at par with the amount being paid in KPK and Punjab; increase in mess and kit allowance so that it is raised to Rs11,000 per month (equivalent to other provinces); award of Nursing Professional Allowance of Rs10,000 per month as prevalent in other provinces; de-freezing of the Health Risk Allowance equal to basic running salary; award of proper accommodation to nurses as per their entitlement quota; exemption of night shift duties of nurses who have completed 20 years of service or have reached 50 years of age; and handing over of the possession of nurses’ hostels to nursing administrations.“We are on the roads today only because of the incompetence of the government. It has been three years now since we have been trying to have our demands met without patient care being compromised. This is our final call to the Prime Minister, the PM’s Special Advisor on Health, and the Parliament. If we are ignored this time, we will embark on a full-fledged strike, and the government alone will squarely be responsible for the repercussions,” the General Secretary of the Poly Clinic Nursing Association Yaqoob Bashir stated during the nurses’ token strike.Wearing black armbands, the protesting nurses said, their charter of demands has been rotting in official files long enough, and that they have now run out of patience. Referring to the acute shortage of nurses in hospitals and the resultant workload that they have to endure, they stated that the nurse to patient ration in PIMS, Poly Clinic, CDA Hospital, and NIRM is 1:50 as against 1:2. “We are being pushed against the wall. Enough is enough. Neither the Minister, nor the Secretary Health have thus far acted to address our genuine grievances,” they stated.The protesters also pointed out that even though nurses spend as many years in acquiring education as doctors, they are inducted in grade 16 and retire in the same grade in spite of dedicating their entire lives to the profession. “Each time that we table our demands, we are served with a sugar-coated pill and the matter is pushed to the backburner,” another nurse stated.Yaqoob Bashir added, “We do not want patients to suffer, but if the government does not budge, we will be left with no option but to hold a full-fledged strike.” He said, even though nurses are the mainstay of the healthcare system, their welfare is at the rock bottom of the government’s priority list.

from The News International - Islamabad http://bit.ly/2J29t89
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sindh police chief takes notice over viral alleged aerial firing videos of DIG East’s son

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon took notice after videos of aerial firing allegedly by the son of a high-ranking Karachi police official surfaced on Thursday. Videos shared on social media allegedly showed the son of Karachi East Deputy Inspector General of Police Azfar Mahesar firing a pistol and rifles into the air while travelling in a luxury car. In one such video, policemen were also purportedly visible. Footage of the alleged incidents went viral on social media. A statement issued today from the Sindh police said IGP Memon ordered an inquiry against the DIG East and directed Karachi’s additional IGP to carry out the investigation. The statement added that departmental action would be initiated upon the inquiry’s completion. It said the investigation would also probe whether the weapons used in the incident were officially issued or not. “No one will be allowed to spread fear and chaos like this,” IGP Memon vowed. Meanwhile, DIG Mahesar
Post a Comment
Read more

Casualties feared in Dir clashes between FC, intruding militants: reports

LOWER DIR: Casualties are feared on both sides as militants from Afghanistan reportedly attacked Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at multiple locations at the Pak-Afghan border in Maidan area of Lower Dir district on Saturday, as per unconfirmed reports. According to local residents and official sources, there were reports of militants’ infiltration from the Afghan side via the Shahi border area at Lamotai Top, Suripao and Safarai forest. However, the reports were yet to be confirmed by Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. On getting information about the alleged infiltration, troops of the paramilitary force, FC, led by Captain Yasin, Captain Asfandiar and Subedar Hamza, advanced to block the militants’ movement, as per reports. The militants allegedly attacked the troops, who also retaliated, thus prompting fears of casualties on both sides. The security forces surrounded alleged militants at three different locations. Later, gunship helicopters lau
Post a Comment
Read more

Family points finger at PPP MNA, two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s murder in Ghotki

SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men. Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR. They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family. Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated t
Post a Comment
Read more