CHENNAI: Nurses on strike called off their agitation that lasted close to a week on Wednesday after the Tamil Nadu government announced that more than 1,000 of them on contract will be regularised immediately and the remaining ones will be made permanent in phases.
The decision to end the protest came after a series of negotiations with the protesting nursing associations. Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian in a statement said the government announcement was made on Chief Minister MK Stalin’s instruction.
Contract nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board had been on a strike, demanding permanent appointments. The Health minister first held talks with their representatives on December 19 and 22. On Wednesday, after placing their demands before the chief minister, another round of discussions were held.
Based on the latest round of discussions, the government has decided to clear pending promotions and create new posts to facilitate the appointment of existing contract nurses to permanent positions.
“As an immediate step, over 1,000 contract nurses will soon be absorbed into regular service. The remaining nurses will be regularised in a phased manner,” the minister said.
Highlighting the government’s record, Subramanian said that since the DMK government assumed office in 2021, as many as 4,825 contract nurses have been regularised. In 2024 alone, 1,693 nurses were granted permanent status. The minister also detailed other welfare measures extended to nurses, includ ing promotions. Over the past four years, 1,998 nurses have been promoted to supervisor grade II, 465 to supervisor grade I, and 62 to tutor grade II.
Significantly, the government is moving to extend paid maternity leave to contract nurses in line with the Central Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, through the National Health Mission. A government order in this regard is expected shortly.
The Health minister further said that steps are underway to issue appointment orders to the remaining nurses recruited during the COVID-19 period and to resolve pending issues related to the enhanced monthly remuneration of contract nurses, which was increased from Rs 14,000 to Rs 18,000 in May 2021.