CHENNAI: With the agitation by contract nurses continuing for the fifth consecutive day, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian on Monday held a second round of talks with representatives of the Tamil Nadu Nurses Development Association, offering fresh assurances on regularisation, new appointments and maternity benefits, though the unions stopped short of calling off their protest.

The meeting was held at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University in Guindy, where the Minister later told reporters that several ‘legitimate demands’ raised by the nurses were under active consideration of the government. Senior Health department officials, including secretary P Senthilkumar, were present during the discussions.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Subramanian said that since the DMK government assumed office, 3,614 contract nurses had already been regularised. “The Chief Minister has instructed us to examine all justified demands with empathy,” he said.

He announced that steps were under way to create 750 new nursing posts, with appointment orders to be issued before Pongal, strictly based on seniority. Of these, 724 posts would be earmarked for nurses who had served during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediate action is also being taken to issue permanent orders to 169 nurses, he added.

Responding to the demand for paid maternity leave for MRB and consolidated-pay nurses, the Minister said the proposal was under government consideration. He also said a government order to establish nursing colleges in government medical college hospitals would be issued soon.

Criticising the previous AIADMK regime, Subramanian said the MRB appointment system introduced in 2014–15 had been flawed. “This government does not merely make promises in its manifesto; it implements them,” he asserted.

Nurses’ representatives said they would consult their leadership before deciding the next course of action.

The protest traces its origin to December 18, when contract nurses launched a hunger strike on Sivanantha Salai in the city, pressing a 10 demands, including permanent appointments for all consolidated-pay nurses and equal pay for equal work. After being detained and dropped at the Kilambakkam bus terminus, the protesters continued their agitation there before shifting to a sit-in near the primary health centre at Guduvancheri.