Promises broken, nurses mull protest

“There is a discussion with the Health Department officials to be held on Friday. If our demands are not met, we may agitate yet again,” said Ravi S, a nurse, pointing out how the assurance of higher pay was not kept. For long, nurses’ associations have been demanding an increase in salary to Rs 25,000. 

Later, after disgruntled nurses went on to protest in various parts of the country, the Supreme Court had directed hospitals to pay nurses a minimum salary of Rs 20,000. However, even now, they are paid only between Rs 7,700 and Rs 11,000 a month, nurses said. 

“We were hoping to receive a hike on May 1 but were left disappointed when we did not receive what was promised. Why should doctors appreciate us merely on Nurses Day, whereas we are treated with no respect throughout the year,” said Saran S, a nurse from a private hospital in the city, not hiding his displeasure. 

“Not only is our salary too low, the number of hours we are made to work is excessive. Even at Primary Health Centres, the doctor and lab technician work on a shift basis. But that is not the case for us nurses,” said M Ismail, a nurse employed at a Central Government hospital. 

Though the salary of nurses employed in private hospitals has to be reviewed every five years, this was seldom followed, Ismail added.