To

Health Correspondent/City editor

PRESS RELEASE

                                                                                                                                      Date: 10.03.2015

Today, on 10 March, nurses of government hospitals in Delhi, leaders of some nursing associations associated with private hospitals as well as representatives from women’s organizations held a meeting at Lady Harding Nurses Hostel. Mrs. Khurana, Secretary General, Delhi Nurses Union, in association with Mr Santosh (a nurse pursuing research from Jawaharlal Nehru University) initiated the meeting on the agenda of uniting the larger nursing community on common concerns/issues, pressurizing the central government to roll back the deduction in 2015 health budget and working towards better public healthcare in the country.

The meeting began with a discussion on why nurses (in the clinical field) should unite against the new recruitment rules for nurses in government hospitals that were being pushed through despite protest from unions like Delhi Nurses Union (DNU). The points of concern regarding the new recruitment rules include reduction in the maximum age limit from 35 years to 30 years. This has been perceived as a huge attack on the nursing community, especially in the context of delayed recruitment in government hospitals, steady contractualization of nursing jobs and the fact that candidates can enrol in nursing courses like B.Sc. Nursing up till the age of 25 and even 27 years in some cases.

As pointed out in the discussion, it was also highly problematic that the new recruitment rules require 6 months to 2.5 year experience in a 50-bedded hospital. Arguing against such a qualification, Maya John from Centre for Struggling Women (CSW) argued that it would press more qualified nurses into the clutches of private hospitals, who by force would have to work in private hospitals to gain the minimum experience to apply to government hospitals.

The nurses, nursing unions and nursing associations present also discussed the need to enhance social responsibility of nurses towards enhancing public healthcare. Mr Santosh emphasized the need to change the strategy of future struggles from “WE NURSES” approach to “WE THE HEALTH WORKERS” approach so as to force the government to recognize and respect the profession. He also drew attention to the need of uniting all nurses under one umbrella organization in true spirit with Nurses Day on 12 May; properly assessing nurses and nursing educators’ condition across the country;forming a National advocacy team to spread awareness of health workers’ struggles and concerns and working towards a Nursing Census 2015.

The meeting concluded with present members agreeing to celebrate Nurses Day under a common banner with representation of leaders from different states and to use the occasion of Nurses Day to pressurize the central government to review its health policy and recruitment rules.

Participants:

Delhi Nurses Union, DPNA, G.B. Pant Nurses Union, IPNA, Lady Hardinge Nurses Union,

Centre for Struggling Women, and others