Why Delhi nurses are protesting, what this says of capital's healthcare

The ongoing tussle between the Delhi Health Department and the Delhi Nurses Federation (DNF) — the union of about 10,000 nurses working in state-run hospitals — may snowball into a major public health crisis in the capital.

The federation has repeatedly written to the authorities to address its long-standing demands related to the regularisation of contractual nurses and regular promotions. In the latest flashpoint between the DNF and the Delhi government, the nurses have threatened to go on a three-day strike from November 2 — to be observed from 9am to 11am, which happens to be the peak OPD (outpatient department) timing. 

Nurses’ key demands

In a letter to the Delhi government’s Health and Family Welfare Department earlier this week, the DNF said the situation is so “pathetic” that an employee, who is supposed to get three promotions in her career, is retiring without a single promotion due to the negligence of the department.

The letter also claimed that the DNF had given various representations to the government over these issues, but no action had been initiated. The federation said it will carry out a “two-hour non-cooperation movement” from November 2 to November 4 to protest the government’s inaction.

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The DNF will take out a protest rally on October 18, from Samta Sthal to the Delhi Secretariat, to press for its major demands: regularisation of contractual nurses, creation of new posts, and timely performance-based promotion.

Promotion grouses

A clutch of nurses in the state-run GB Pant Hospital told The Federal that despite repeated written submissions to the Health Department, the issue remains unresolved. Citing her own example, Ajeet Kaur, staff nurse at the hospital, narrated how her designation has remained the same for the last 28 years. 

“I had joined the hospital as a staff nurse way back in 1994, and I continue to have the same designation till today. If this is not injustice, then what is? Although there has been a commensurate increase in my salary, my designation hasn’t changed on paper. I think I will retire as a staff nurse,” Kaur said.

Commenting on the scheduled strike, she said: “If the issue is not resolved by November 18, we will go on an indefinite strike, thereby crippling the state health system.”

AAP’s poll plank

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been claiming that it will regularise contractual workers wherever it forms the government. Often citing the example of Punjab, where 8,000 teachers have been regularised, the party has urged the Centre and several state governments to do the same.

However, both the BJP and the Congress have hit back, accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of not regularising posts in Delhi while advising other states to do so. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said: “Arvind Kejriwal should first hear the sufferings and pleas of guest teachers in Delhi.”

Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary said that besides 22,000 guest teachers, state government departments like Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Jal Board, and health services have 58,000 temporary posts.

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Manpower crunch

Anita Mathew, leader, DNF, cited how nurses were constantly shifted from one hospital to the other. “The government has no notification for new posts, but they keep on rotating staff from one facility to the other, thereby affecting the healthcare system. The workload is taking a toll on our health and our performance, too. We are the primary level of defence and if the nurses fall ill, you can imagine the toll on the system,” she told The Federal.

“The issue of promotion and filling up of vacancies will be at the forefront of our struggle. We truly understand the ramifications in terms of patient care and other emergency services, but we are compelled to take such a step. Our demands have fallen on deaf ears,” said Mathew, who is also a senior nursing staff at GB Pant Hospital.

Low bed strength 

Commenting on an allegedly severe mismatch between the sanctioned bed strength and actual beds available, Liladhar Ramchandani, secretary general, DNF, said there are fewer beds available than the actual sanctioned strength. At times, more than one person is occupying a bed. This also takes a toll on the nursing fraternity as they have to tend to more patients; it also affects the availability of medicines, Ramchandani said.

The DNF secretary general further urged the Health Department to listen to the nurses’ demands, adding that the health officials haven’t arranged a single meeting despite their repeated written submissions over the past two years.

Responding to issues raised by the nurses’ federation, Culochna Kataria, Deputy Nursing Superintendent at GB Pant hospital, said: “These issues are genuine as the administration hasn’t received a single list of promotions over the past 10 years. Ideally, promotions must be announced in a timely fashion for vacant positions and also to incentivise good work.”

Citing an example from her own department, she said the post of Nursing Superintendent has been vacant for a very long time, forcing two junior colleagues to oversee the functions of Nursing Superintendent as well. She also concurred on the issue of contract workers not being regularised despite repeated assurances from the government.

The Federal tried to get in touch with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, but officials refused to comment on the long-pending demands of the nurses. The concerned authorities are looking into the content of the letter submitted by the federation, they said.