THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health minister K.K. Shailaja on Friday called for amicable settlement of ongoing strike of nurses to avoid inconveniencei to the patients across the state. The minister said though the wages issue is within the domain of the labour department and managements and they were looking into the matter, she would also assist in resolving the issue in the interest of patients. “We must realise that it is an essential service and the patients are the biggest sufferers,” she added.
Meanwhile, the United Nurses Association gave a notice to the managements of private hospitals for indefinite strike. It is demanding resolution of the 183-day-old strike in KEM hospital Cherthala. The indefinite hunger stir of UNA general secretary Suj-ana Pal entered the eighth day on Friday.
With each passing day his condition was getting worse and it was time for authorities. Despite Alappuzha collector T V Anupama submitting a detailed report on the nurses’ strike there has been no initiative from the labour department or the management to find a solution. The UNA sought the intervention of four ministers, MP and MLAs belonging to the district to resolve the strike.
