The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has sought the intervention of Union Minister of Health Jagat Prakash Nadda to accord approval to NEIGRIHMS to implement the gender-based quota in recruitment of nurses.
The pressure group last week had a run-in with NEIGRIHMS Director Dr. Nalin Mehta and forced closure of his office in protest against non implementation of the provision of 80:20 Female: Male nurse job recruitment process.
According to the HYC, the gender-based quota is being adopted by the Central Institute Body of AIIMS, New Delhi and other institutes under the Ministry of Health & Family as wells as undertakings like ESIC hospitals including JIPMER where 80 per cent posts of Nursing Officers are reserved for female candidates.
The HYC referred to a letter by the ministry dated August 8, 2024 that advised NEIGRIHMS not to adopt provision of 80:20 (Female: Male) nurses as adopted by AIIMS, New Delhi and said, “This advice of the Ministry not only affects the administration of NEIGRIHMS but also affects the sentiments of the patients seeking medical assistance in the Institute.”
Stating that the institute has around 40 different departments where Nursing Officers are being posted and only three of these departments are male wards the HYC also said that in wards like PICU/ICU, the mothers or female patients are not comfortable with male nurses attending to their child or to breastfeed. “There are apprehensions on the male nurses to perform certain procedures of nursing care to female patients or leaving a female child or patient in closed rooms with only the male nurses,” it added.
Based on these, the HYC urged Nadda that it is necessary that maximum numbers of female nurses be appointed for patient and comfort and care in the institute by adopting the gender-based quota.
The pressure group has also requested Meghalaya Governor Chandrashekhar H Vijayashankar, Rajya Sabha MP W. Kharlukhi, State MPs Ricky AJ Syngkon and Saleng A Sangma to take up the issue.
