Nurses at NEIGRIHMS have expressed concern at the temporary pause in recruitment at the teaching hospital that was announced on Monday.
In a press release today, the NEIGRIHMS Nurses Association (NNA) said, “This suspension will not only delay the recruitment but also hinder the career progression of permanent nursing personnel, resulting in a staff shortage, further affecting patient care. The NNA demands regular recruitment to happen in NEIGRIHMS at the earliest as per the norms so that stagnation in promotion can be avoided and to provide best quality care.”
NEIGRIHMS, a central government institution, has been facing months of turmoil after pressure groups expressed adamant opposition to recruitment practices. The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) wants an 80:20 female to male nurse ratio, more local staff, job recruitment examinations to be held within the state, etc.
Much has been made of the fact that many of the nurses hired in the last recruitment cycle are non-locals and male, which, the pressure groups claim, are factors that make it harder for them to be accepted by locals.
“While we uphold the right to freedom of expression, these activities have adversely impacted the peaceful working environment and the delivery of patient care,” the NNA said today. “NEIGRIHMS, a central institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), is a centre of excellence where every Indian citizen has the right to work freely. We, the NNA, are disheartened by the continuous disparaging remarks directed towards the nursing community.”
While the 80:20 female to male ratio has been implemented in other central institutions, like AIIMS, it has not yet been approved by the central government for NEIGRIHMS, despite the administration’s proposal for such.
“Male nurses recruited during the last cycle, regardless of class or creed, should not be blamed for the current issues,” the NNA added. “Our nursing fraternity comprises individuals from across the country, all of whom have joined the institute through a fair and transparent recruitment process.”
In view of these developments and as “an expression of our collective disappointment”, NEIGRIHMS nurses have decided not to participate in the celebration of International Nurses Week, which is scheduled in the second week of May. “This decision reflects our unified sentiment and serves as a peaceful yet resolute statement of our concerns regarding the ongoing situation,” the NNA stated.
Meanwhile, the KSU presented a formal rejoinder to yesterday’s meeting to the Director of NEIGRIHMS, Dr Nalin Mehta. Incidentally, last week the pressure group had warned Dr Mehta not to return to the institute if he could not deliver on the KSU’s demands but today it was more polite and addressed him as “Respected Sir”.
It was agreed at the meeting yesterday – which was chaired by former KSU leader and now cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh – to temporarily pause recruitment until “all the issues raised by the union are addressed and resolved”. Those issues that can be dealt with by the NEIGRIHMS administration will be tackled locally, while others that require approval of higher authorities will be tabled before the institute’s governing council and the MOHFW.
Apart from the aforementioned issues, the KSU wants the age limit reverted to 35 years for nursing officers as in the previous recruitment cycles and for the old age limits to apply for other posts too; removal of the requirement for experience certificates from 50-bed hospitals for the post of nursing officer applicants; examination centres to be conducted offline in Meghalaya; a review of the roster register to be conducted; revocation of the backlog in economically weaker section (EWS) vacancies; storekeeper qualification reverted to the old qualification; NEIGRIHMS to conduct its own recruitment exam in future; and for reservation of Group B posts to be extended.
“The amended recruitment rules must be further deliberated with the stakeholders and different associations of NEIGRIHMS to avoid any complications,” the KSU added. “The union will also like to request to initiate the process of calling an emergent governing council to resolve the other issues which need urgent intervention.”
