Mumbai:
The nationwide strike called by trade unions to protest against price rise, violation of labour laws and disinvestment of PSUs on Tuesday is expected to hit medical services in the state to an extent. Around 23 major state-run hospitals will be almost paralysed around the state, as 23,000 nurses and thousands of ward boys and other junior and administrative staff have decided to strike work.
As far as Mumbai goes, activities at the four state-run hospitals in the city -- St George Hospital, Cama & Albless Hospital, GT Hospital, J J Hospital -- will come to a grinding halt with 2,400 Class III and Class IV employees working here joining the bandh.
As 1,100 nurses (Class III employees) and 1,300 ward boys, kitchen staff and security guards (Class IV employees) will stay off work on Tuesday, the four hospitals, all of which fall under the JJ Group of Hospitals, have been forced to postpone nearly 250-odd surgeries.
"We have cancelled all routine surgeries and will only operate in case of an emergency. Since security guards have decided to join the strike, we have deployed Home Guards at the hospital," said Dr T P Lahane, dean, JJ Group of Hospitals.
The three BMC hospitals -- KEM, Sion and Nair Hospital and 16 periphery hospitals in the city will not be participating in the strike.
Dr Sanjay Oak, dean, KEM Hospital, said, "The nurses and ward boys from our hospital and other civic hospitals will not be participating in today's strike."
Nurses from across the state feel that striking work is the only way to draw attention to their woes. Kasturi Kadam, joint secretary, Maharashtra Government Nurses Federation, said, "We are supporting the strike as the authorities have only turned a deaf ear to our demands. They have failed to fill the vacant positions in the nursing sector, which is only increasing our workload."
Krishna R, president of JJ Hospital's Class IV Union agreed. "Employees working for over 30 years in the hospital continue to get daily wages. Even after repeated representation, the government has not regularised their salaries leaving us with no choice but to support the strike," he said.
Officials from the Directorate of Health Services tried to persuade employees to abandon the bandh, but they seem to be persistent.
Dr D S Dakhure, director, Directorate of Health Services said, "I am aware of the situation. All medical superintendents and deans across state hospitals have been asked to make alternate arrangements to ensure that patients do not suffer. We had appealed to the striking workers to not stay off work, but they were firm on their decision."
As far as Mumbai goes, activities at the four state-run hospitals in the city -- St George Hospital, Cama & Albless Hospital, GT Hospital, J J Hospital -- will come to a grinding halt with 2,400 Class III and Class IV employees working here joining the bandh.
As 1,100 nurses (Class III employees) and 1,300 ward boys, kitchen staff and security guards (Class IV employees) will stay off work on Tuesday, the four hospitals, all of which fall under the JJ Group of Hospitals, have been forced to postpone nearly 250-odd surgeries.
"We have cancelled all routine surgeries and will only operate in case of an emergency. Since security guards have decided to join the strike, we have deployed Home Guards at the hospital," said Dr T P Lahane, dean, JJ Group of Hospitals.
The three BMC hospitals -- KEM, Sion and Nair Hospital and 16 periphery hospitals in the city will not be participating in the strike.
Dr Sanjay Oak, dean, KEM Hospital, said, "The nurses and ward boys from our hospital and other civic hospitals will not be participating in today's strike."
Nurses from across the state feel that striking work is the only way to draw attention to their woes. Kasturi Kadam, joint secretary, Maharashtra Government Nurses Federation, said, "We are supporting the strike as the authorities have only turned a deaf ear to our demands. They have failed to fill the vacant positions in the nursing sector, which is only increasing our workload."
Krishna R, president of JJ Hospital's Class IV Union agreed. "Employees working for over 30 years in the hospital continue to get daily wages. Even after repeated representation, the government has not regularised their salaries leaving us with no choice but to support the strike," he said.
Officials from the Directorate of Health Services tried to persuade employees to abandon the bandh, but they seem to be persistent.
Dr D S Dakhure, director, Directorate of Health Services said, "I am aware of the situation. All medical superintendents and deans across state hospitals have been asked to make alternate arrangements to ensure that patients do not suffer. We had appealed to the striking workers to not stay off work, but they were firm on their decision."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
