KOCHI: Even as the nursing community in the state is hell-bent on achieving its demand for salary revision, the small hospitals (those with beds below 20) have stated they are not in a position to implement the revised pay proposed by the Minimum Wages Committee.They have also demanded the government to support them with concessions as it is essential for their survival.
A meeting of small hospitals was held in the capital on Monday in which representatives of around 150 small hospitals and clinics in and around Thiruvananthapuram attended.“We operate mainly in the rural sector. The implementation of the revised salary will result in steep hike in the operating cost. However, we cannot charge it from our patients since most of them belong to the low-income group. So, in a meeting with Health Minister K K Shailaja on Tuesday, we have raised a demand to provide us with concessions on medicines and electricity tariff,” said Dr Alex Franklin, chairman, Kerala Association of Small Hospitals and Clinics (KASC).
During the meet with the minister, we have discussed in detail the problems the small hospitals will have to face if the proposed salary is implemented. We have raised our concerns with the minister since all small hospitals are on the verge of closure. The minister has promised to try her best to address our issues,” he said.
They have made a request to the government to provide medicines at Jan Aushadhi rates. “It will give us breathing space. We have also sought a concession in the electricity charge since it is one of our major expenditures,” he said.“We get minimal revenue, except for around three months. As many as 18 staff members, including the nurses, depend on us,” he said.
“In small hospitals (with beds less than 20), salaries of the staff constitute around 50 per cent of the expenses. Around 30 per cent is spent on medicines and 15 per cent for the electricity charges. We need at least `40 lakh to meet the annual expenses, along with the tax,” said Dr Alex, who has been running a hospital in a hamlet near to the Tamil Nadu border in Thiruvananthapuram district for the past three decades.
“It is difficult to cope with the changing times. We still charge `30 for consultation. We have not increased the fee based on the request of our patients,” said Dr Alex.