NEW DELHI: Health services in five Delhi government-run hospitals here were affected on Tuesday as the paramedical staff, including nurses, went on a day-long strike.
The nurses, Group C and D employees have called the strike to press the government to make fresh appointments of paramedical staff in these hospitals besides regularization of services of the temporary staff.
The strike called under the banner of Joint Action Committee was participated by about 5,000 paramedical staff of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, G B Pant Hospital, Moulana Azad Dental Hospital and Moulana Azad Medical College and Guru Nanak Eye Centre.
"According to the new recruitment norms around 5,000 posts of nurses and other paramedical employees are lying vacant from last several years in these hospitals. Because of the shortage of staff, patients have to suffer here," Leela Dhar, General Secretary of G B Pant Nurses Union said.
In a meeting held at LNJP hospital, the committee has also decided to go on a 48-hour-long strike from December 4. On Tuesday the employees demonstrated against the government in their respective hospitals.
"We have approached the Delhi government several times on this issue but nothing has happened. The hospital administration has been appointing the paramedical staff on contract basis to deal with the staff shortage," he said.
The OPD, pharmacy, ward and other medical lab services including X-ray, ECG remained suspended since six in the morning causing a great difficulty to the patients.
