The High Court has warned striking nurses that they will be held responsible if patients suffered due to the ongoing agitation for fair wages.

The court was considering a batch of petitions on Wednesday seeking police protection to hospitals.

The state submitted before the court that lapses by hospital managements in implementing minimum wages for nurses led to the strikes.

Taking note, the court asked Lakeshore Hospital, one of the petitioners, to file an affidavit whether it had complied with the minimum wages notification of 2009.
Lakeshore hospital had submitted that the strike affected the functioning of the hospital.

HC asked it to identify a place, 50meter away from the hospital premises, for the agitators to hold demonstrations.

Meanwhile, representatives of striking nurses and hospital managements would meet on Thursday in a fresh bid to end the agitation at Lakeshore, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College in Kolencherry.

Labour commissioner T.T. Antony will meet representatives of Lakeshore management and nurses in Kochi in the morning. In the afternoon, he will talk to those at Kolencherry medical college.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to prevent another round of strike by nurses at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS).

Regional joint labour commissioner Vincent Alex will hold discussions with AIMS
management and nurses on Friday.