Erwin Sutnga, spokesperson of the Synjuk ki Rangbah Kur ka Bri U Hynniewtrep, has said that NEIGRIHMS should prioritise eligible locals for job openings.
“We don’t want to see agitations in a health institution,” he told Highland Post. “NEIGRIHMS should come up with a clear policy.”
The central government teaching hospital has been facing protests from pressure groups over its hiring policies, especially with regard to the lack of a male-female quota in its nursing department and lack of reservation for local healthcare staff. The NEIGRIHMS administration has pleaded that its hands are tied as it has to follow central government rules and regulations.
Sutnga acknowledged the need for specialists from other states but stressed that eligible nursing staff and other posts from Meghalaya should be given reasonable consideration.
However, any agitation should not affect the health service received by patients or intimidate medical staff, he added.
Sutnga expressed surprise at the presence of numerous nursing staff from Rajasthan and other states, highlighting the need for rational steps to ensure that the institution serves both the health service and employment needs of Meghalaya. He also pointed out the practical difficulty of nurses from other states in understanding local languages, leading to communication barriers with local staff and patients.
“Let there be a clear-cut policy and, if these kinds of activities keep cropping up, it’s a sign of a wrong attitude towards the local people,” Sutnga opined.
