Many of them wanted to stay back, mainly due to financial reasons
Representational photograph. (Photo: PTI/File)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Saudi health authorities are learnt to have offered a risk allowance to nurses willing to stay back, following repeated Houthi shellings, while others would be allowed to return.
There are also reports that they increasingly prefer to stay back as the tensions have slightly eased.
The kingdom’s health minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih reportedly met around 50 nurses from Kerala and assured them that those who wish to stay would be shifted to safe places.
At least 130 Malayali nurses of a private hospital in the port city close to the Yemeni border were shifted to safe locations on Monday following the intervention of the state government.
Many of them wanted to stay back, mainly due to financial reasons. “We had informal information that the Saudi health authorities offered a risk allowance to those who wish to stay back. During talks with the embassy officials, they were also learnt to have provided to facilitate the return of others,” said NORKA-Roots chief executive officer Mr R. S. Kannan.
“Some of the nurses are going to the houses of their relatives in safer locations of the kingdom.” So far, the state government did not receive any other distress calls.
Meanwhile, Jazan Art Lovers Association secretary Sulfikar Muvattupuzha told DC over the phone that many nurses now preferred to stay back as the situation had improved.
Following the death of one nurse, Vishnu of Kollam, in shelling, some of the nurses contacted Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and sought his intervention.
Subsequently he took up the matter with the external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Sulfikar said that efforts were on to speed up the procedures to send the body of Vishnu.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
