TheAll India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) may curtail its emergencyservices in view of the indefinite strike declared by the nursing staff of themedical institute, the senior officials of the hospital informed IANS.
Ahigh level meeting between top officials of the premier medical institute ofthe country, including its Director Randeep Guleria was underway at the time ofthis report.
Theemergency services at the premier hospital have taken a hit and critical carepatients have been abandoned in view of ongoing strike.
DKSharma, Medical Superintendent (MS) told IANS that to control the situation,the administration has asked all the junior, resident and senior doctors todouble up for the nurses who are currently on agitation against a long list ofdemands, including clarity on salary structure and a freeze on hiring oncontract.
Around5,000 nurses of AIIMS are on an indefinite strike since Monday afternoonagainst the hospital's decisions to enroll nursing officers on contractualpayroll.
Thenurses' union's demands include correction of an anomaly in the fixation of theinitial pay as per the Sixth Central Pay Commission (CPC), redressal of issuessuch as abolishment of gender-based reservation in the recruiting process ofnursing officers and contractual appointments, enhancement of hospitalaccommodation and cadre restructuring.
Meanwhile,the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) has directed thehospital administration to end the ongoing strike immediately, citing a DelhiHigh Court order passed on May 20, 2002, where a code of conduct was put inplace by the court, which forbids any staff or faculty member of the AIIMS todisrupt services "for any reason whatsoever".
Ina late-evening order issued on Monday, the ministry had also threatened thatnon-compliance of its direction would be treated as an offence and action againstthe violators would be taken as per the law.
Tocontain further participation in the nurses' strike, the AIIMS administrationon Monday had directed its faculty members and staff not to cease work, shoutslogans, hold demonstrations or meetings within the campus or around 500 metersof radius of the institute's boundary.