By Mohan Kayaka

Mysore/Mysuru: Trainee staff nurses working on the monthly stipend basis in Krishnaraja (KR), Cheluvamba and PKTB Hospitals are pouring out their woes. 

No officer or elected representative has bothered to meet and hear their grievances. They are doing the hospital duty despite being on the silent protest since last few weeks. Submitting memorandum to the authorities concerned highlighting their predicament had not yielded any result.

“We are working on the monthly stipend of Rs. 10,000 in hospitals for the last 11 months. Now our working hours have increased to almost 12 hours due to Covid-19. None of them are bothered if we die while treating Corona patients”, said a trainee staff nurse on the condition of anonymity.

Speaking to Star or Mysore, they said they are on silent protest but not stopped treating patients. What they are demanding is hike in stipend and insurance which are not met. The officials and elected representatives lacked courtesy even to listen to their problems. With job market down, they are forced to work for just Rs. 10,000 to feed their dependents. “Here, there is no job security or facility. This is the biggest problems we are facing”, they said.

The trainee staff nurses working in Bengaluru and other districts are appointed on contract basis and are paid Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 35,000 per month. But why less stipend for those working in hospitals that come under the Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute, (MMC&RI) they questioned.

As per direction from the State Government, staff nurses are paid an additional Rs. 5,000 for wearing PPE kit to attend Covid patients. As against the sanctioned strength of 260 staff nurses, there is a shortage of 60 plus nurses. Till the new appointment, the existing staff is paid Rs. 12,445 per month. Rules does not permit us to hire them on contract basis”, said Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj, Dean and director, MMC&RI.