‘Treat nurses equally’

SHILLONG, AUG 25:  Government nurses under the banner of  Non-Bonded Nurses Association of Meghalaya (NBNAM) demanded they must also be treated equally like the bonded nurses even as it expressed concern over the delay of the enquiry committee to submit its report pertaining to alleged anomalies in the recruitment process to the 360 vacancy posts held last year.

A delegation of the non-bonded nurses led by its president Melchior H Riang met the state health principal secretary Y Tsering on Monday and enquired into the status of the demands made by the association.

“The absence of a proper service policy has to a large extent brought about unnecessary discrimination against the non-bonded nurses who have supported themselves through loans for their education,” Riang told reporters after the meeting.

Riang informed that after the controversy erupted over the recruitment process conducted by the government for filling up the 360 vacancy post, the non-bonded nurses had demanded the government to provide equal treatment for bonded and non bonded nurses in the state.

Earlier last year, the non-bonded nurses strongly opposed the policy adopted by the government in conducting the recruitment process for filling up the posts by calling for direct personal interview for bonded nurses while non-bonded were made to sit for written examination.

According to Riang, out of 800 candidates who appeared for the written test as many as 380 candidates were selected which is less than 50 per cent of the total applicants.

Riang also claimed that out of 380 successful candidates, only four have managed to really cleared the test while the rest was based on consideration since most of the candidates could not pass the written exams.

“The reason why most of the candidates could not get through the test is also because the questions were very tough and most of them were out of syllabus,” Riang said adding “It is also unfair of the government to adopt a different approach for both the bonded and non-bonded nurses.”

Protesting against the policy of the government, the non-bonded had submitted a memorandum to the state government on the matter on November last year.

“We had also met the state health minister AL Hek recently who had informed us that the government had constituted an enquiry committee to look into the matter with an assurance that the report would be release after the elections,” Riang informed.

Riang said during the meeting today the principal secretary refused to disclose the status of the enquiry committee.  “He told us that the enquiry report is still under examination by the government.” He also said the officer also informed that government is on the job to come up with a service policy for the nurses.

The NBNAM also expressed its opposition to the recent proposed strike called by the bonded nurses under the Meghalaya Government Nursing Service Association (MGNSA).

Raing said, “We are totally against such call for indefinite strike by the bonded nurses as it is unwarranted as all the nurses (both bonded and non-bonded) have taken a pledge to serve the people.”

Raing said calling such strike will unnecessary harass the people who are totally dependent on the nurses and entire medical organization.

On the other hand, Riang said the non-bonded nurses supports the bonded nurses on their demand for immediately filling up of the vacant posts in different health institutions as this would decrease the workload and benefit the public as a whole.

Riang, however, informed that NBNAM is demanding for 50 per cent reservation for non bonded nurses in government vacancy and also giving first preference to Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people.

According to Riang, the non-bonded nurses from Meghalaya have equal rights to any vacancy in the government institution.- By Our Reporter