Delhi government’s Health Minister, Satyendra Jain is in jail for the past six months and the unaddressed health woes have begun to raise their head.

On 2 November, scores of nurses of various Delhi government-run hospitals would be sitting on a strike to put forth their demands which include regularisation of services and long-due promotions.

The Delhi Nurses Federation (DNF) has said that it is a “symbolic strike” that will be held from 9 to 11am from 2-4 November.

"Emergency and ICU services won't be affected as nominal staff will work for these two services. OPD services and wards will be impacted due to the nursing staffs' strike that began today,' DNF secretary general Liladhar Ramchandani said.       

He said all major city government-run hospitals have joined the call given by the DNF.

So, has LNJP Hospital, GB Pant Hospital, DDU Hospital, GTB Hospital, BSA Hospital, Dr Hedgewar hospital, SGM Hospital, among other hospitals in Delhi, he said.

Ramchandani said there were 8,000 sanctioned posts, but 6,000 nurses are working. 

“Three new hospitals have come up and the staff from the other government hospitals has been diverted there. There has been an addition of beds, but no addition to nursing staff,” he claimed.

The DNF had recently carried out a march till the Delhi Secretariat to press for their demands, including regularisation of services, promotions that are long due and creation of new posts.

“The Arvind Kejriwal government's Health Secretary and Health Minister are not serious about the problems of nurses,” the DNF tweeted on Tuesday (1 November). 

Currently, there has been an acute shortage of nursing staff in the Delhi government-run hospitals. As per reports, the hospitals are running with only 30 per cent of the total required nursing staff. This has resulted in increased pressure on the existing nursing strength to meet the needs.

(with inputs from PTI)