Nurses in private hospitals an exploited lot: HC

KOCHI: Expressing concern over the welfare of the nurses in the state, the Kerala High Court on Thursday orally observed that the nurses working in private hospitals are being exploited by the managements.“Nurses and private school teachers are the most exploited by the managements. Selfishness of the hospital managements is the reason for the recent strikes launched by nurses in various private hospitals. It is understood that the managements are not ready to give at least minimum wages to nurses,” the court observed.The salary given for a nurse having 10 years’ experience is not a decent amount and it has not been revised. Nurses are undergoing severe mental and physical stress while doctors have to face only mental stress. Even the doctors had conducted agitations for hike in salaries, the court pointed out. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon made the observation while considering a petition filed by Jose Mathew seeking a directive to impose provisions under the Kerala Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on the striking nurses. The petitioner pointed out that the strike by nurses had paralysed medical treatment in Ernakulam and will soon affect the entire state. The petitioner is a dialysis patient at Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery, where nurses are on the path of agitation. The petitioner contended that the strike should be declared illegal.He submitted that the Indian Nurses’ Welfare Association had no right to strike considering the nature of the profession. He also sought a directive to the state to notify hospital services, including nursing, as essential services.