M Memdon, president of NAM (The Nurses Association of Manipur) addressing a press conference at the Manipur Press Club said that despite repeated requests since 1999 April the Manipur government staff nurses allowances were not revised as per the Vth pay commission like the other states.
Memdon said” They would not accept any more delays and would start their indefinite strike right away if their demands remain unfulfilled even after 31st of January.The nurses under the department of health and family welfare, government of Manipur demanded that their allowances be made equal to that of the nurses in Mizoram and RIMS and other states of India where they enjoy annual allowances to the tune of RS24, 000 annually in comparison to the meager Rs 4,320 per annum they received.
The current allowances are very discouraging and discriminating specially when we look into the allowances paid to the nurses at RIMS said the nurses. Our annual nursing allowance is just 1920 when compared to their allowance, which is19200. So also the washing allowance, which is 1800 for a RIMS whereas the government nurse gets only Rs900/-. The uniform allowance for RIMS` nurse is Rs 3000 while that of the government nurse is Rs 1500.
Altogether 1150 nurses are working under the health and family welfare departments. The secretary of NAM N Memchoubi voiced concern over the current developments and said that there would be a series of repercussions in the event of an indefinite strike.
Memchoubi said that if all the 1150 nurses go on strike indefinitely the entire functioning of the JN hospital would come to a grinding halt and this would paralyze the services to the public and the patients. The District hospitals and health centers would be greatly inconvenienced and the pulse polio scheme would be seriously affected.
Source-Medindia
SPH/K
