Principal Correspondent
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 23
The Nagaland Staff Nurses Association (NSNA) has called off its proposed agitation scheduled from November 24.
NSNA had threatened to go on three-day mass casual leave starting November 24 as part of their agitation against non-fulfillment of their demands.
Officials of NSNA told media persons at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima this afternoon that the NSNA decided to call off their agitation till December 22 as the Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Sentiyanger Imchen on November 21 gave them written assurances.
In the letter addressed to the NSNA, Imchen stated that the department has constituted a committee to study in detail their demands and suggest appropriate amendments to the service rules within a period of one month.
He has also stated that the redressal of their demand require time since service rules are involved, while adding that the nursing service rules in its present form are ambiguous on certain issues and there is a need to make it more clear and consistent.
Noting that the proposed agitation would adversely impact health care services in the State and the brunt of the suffering and inconvenience would be borne by the common citizens, the State government appealed to the association to give time to address the issue and call off the proposed agitation.
Accepting the written assurance, the NSNA decided to wait till December 22, 2014, but at the same time cautioned that if their demands are not met within one month, they would resort to severe course of action.
The NSNA officials also asserted that they are not against any particular group but since the general nursing staff nurses have been deprived of their rights, they have been taking up issue for streamlining the system.
Highlighting the plight of the staff nurses since 1998, the NSNA officials said staff nurses comprising more than 500 members had been pursuing for consideration of two demands with the authority concerned and the State government for the welfare of registered nurses/registered midwifes by way of submitting memorandums, ultimatums and reminders since 1998 with the latest memo being submitted on November 10 last.
The two main demands of NSNA are channelisation in the functions and gradation/promotion of staff nurses on seniority basis.
On channelisation, they said the government should introduce two distinct channels in the functions of the staff nurses by allowing B.Sc nursing staff, nurses/diploma holders to the line of teaching/tutoring or functions as specified in Sl. No. 5 to 9 of Schedule II of Nagaland Nursing Service Rules, 1988 and allowing general nursing staff nurses to the clinical line.
It also includes the demand that gradation on the analogy of typists, stenographers etc. under the state of Nagaland should be granted to the general nursing staff nurses
Consequent upon the non-compliance of the demands, the NSNA had also served an ultimatum dated February 21, 2014 along with a reminder letter dated July 21, 2014, they said.
The general nursing staff nurses lamented that at present the authorities have been selecting only the B.Sc in Nursing /diploma holder staff nurses for promotion to the higher grade without considering the seniority of the staff nurses which is in gross violation of the existing Service Rules.
Except for two incentives i.e. two years in service and two increments for Diploma in Nursing Education and Administration/B.Sc. or Post-Basic B.Sc. in Nursing, the existing Service Rules do not provide any room to the authority to select only the B.Sc in Nursing /diploma holder staff nurses for promotion to the higher post, they stated.
Channelizing the duties, the Registered Nurse/Registered-Midwifes (Senior Staff Nurses) should be given promotion in clinical line and B.Sc. in Nursing /diploma holder nurses in teaching/tutoring line so as to avoid favouritism/nepotism in the near future, the NSNA demanded.
They maintained that in past many years, irregularities in manner of promotion of only B.Sc. nursing staff nurses/diploma holders have made it known and clear that there is no promotion scope for the general nursing staff nurses. Therefore, gradation on the analogy of the typists, stenographers etc. under the State of Nagaland should be granted to the general nursing staff nurses.
