NEW DELHI: Nurses of GB Pant Hospital held a protest on the facility’s premises on Tuesday, alleging corruption and irregularities by administration staff. According to Liladhar Ramchandani, president of the hospital’s nurse association and secretary-general of Delhi Nurses Federation, the matter was taken up with the authorities but they did nothing about it and instead relieved four nurses from duty. “We had no option left but to protest,” Ramchandani said.
Three nursing officers and an officiating nursing superintendent were asked to proceed on leave. “In view of the allegations and ongoing inquiry, the following nursing officials of Delhi GB Pant are hereby relieved of their duties and ordered to proceed on leave immediately. Further, these officials shall make themselves available for enquiry as and when called,” read the order issued by the medical superintendent on April 11.
The nurses union opposed this action taken against the two nursing officers, saying they were the complainants in the case. Ramchandani alleged that action has been taken against people who raised voices against corruption.
The protest on Tuesday was held under the banner of a joint action committee for two hours and would continue on Wednesday if the demands are not met, Ramchandani said and added that the nurses may even go on an indefinite strike from next week onwards. “Our demand is that the medical director should be removed,” Ramchandani said. “The protest is against several instances of corruption and other irregularities.”
A purported audio clip of the nursing superintendent demanding a bribe had gone viral where he was asking nurses to pay money for postings and transfers. The two nursing officers relieved from duty had complained about this to the hospital’s director.