Punjab Health Minister warns of action as nurses continue indefinite strike

Patiala: The nursing staff at three government medical colleges and hospitals in Punjab have been on an indefinite strike for the past 15 days. Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday warned the striking nurses to resume their duties, failing which strict action would be taken.The nurses have been protesting against the state government’s decision to invoke the ‘Essential Services Maintenance Act’ (ESMA) and are demanding the restoration of the ₹4,600 grade pay.Also Read: Ludhiana doctor’s plea: HC orders review of passports in multiple criminal casesThe Minister called the strike ‘illegal’ and also said that the nurses would not be paid for the duration of the strike, as they had already violated ESMA. He also added that the nursing students had to be enlisted to ensure that patient care remained unaffected during the strike.“It had come to my notice that protesting nurses attempted to shut down an operating theatre (OT). If any patient dies because of such actions, an FIR will be registered. Around 5,000 nursing students who come to government hospitals for training will be deployed. They will work without remuneration. Patient care will not be affected at all”, he said, HT quoted.  The minister refuted the nursing staff’s claims and stated that the students were qualified to care for patients. “These students are qualified and degree holders. They have already completed the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course,” he added. This statement by the Minister came two days after the All-India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) wrote a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda.Meanwhile, terming the existing salary structure as discriminatory, the nurses’ organisation argued that it does not reflect the workload and responsibilities handled by the staff in tertiary care hospitals.This protest by regular nurses centres on a long-standing salary anomaly affecting nurses recruited on or after July 17, 2020. Union leaders claim that approximately 1,500 nurses are currently receiving a monthly salary of around ₹29,000 under a Grade Pay of ₹2,800. They are demanding an upgrade to a Grade Pay of ₹4,600, which would raise their monthly salary to approximately ₹44,900; additionally, they are seeking the reclassification of their posts from Grade C to Grade B.Also Read: Guru Gobind Singh medical college 2 MBBS students critically injured, elderly man killed in road accident