HYDERABAD: The nursing fraternity of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar, on Tuesday served a 14-day strike notice to the ESIC headquarters, alleging administrative harassment, denial of basic welfare facilities and poor working conditions.
The nurses also highlighted poor civic amenities at the hospital, including a shortage of medical and surgical equipment, inadequate drinking water supply, and a lack of proper washroom facilities for patients.
They warned that they would launch an indefinite strike if their grievances were not addressed within the notice period.
In a detailed representation submitted by the ESIC Nursing Officers’ Union, Telangana, to the Director General of ESIC through the dean of the medical college, the union alleged that repeated representations regarding service conditions, staff welfare and workplace grievances had failed to elicit corrective action. It claimed that nursing personnel had lost confidence in the present nursing administration and accused certain senior officials of intimidation, arbitrary administrative decisions and interference in trade union activities.
The union further alleged that dozens of Assistant Nursing Superintendents and Senior Nursing Officers had been issued memorandums by the hospital management. It claimed that several staff members were repeatedly asked to furnish explanations over trivial issues. Alleging that a nursing officer was subjected to an unauthorised breath analyser test, the union demanded an independent inquiry into the incident.
Besides seeking the transfer of officials against whom allegations have been made, the union demanded withdrawal of the memorandums, restoration of the nursing administrative hierarchy, settlement of pending promotions and allowances, and provision of basic amenities such as nurses’ lounges, rest rooms, changing rooms and clean washrooms.
K Prakash Babu, General Secretary of the ESIC Nursing Officers’ Union, Telangana, said that if no satisfactory written response was received within 14 days, the union would launch phased protests, including wearing black badges, demonstrations, mass casual leave and, if necessary, an indefinite strike.
He maintained that nurses remained committed to uninterrupted patient care and said any disruption caused by administrative inaction would be the responsibility of the hospital management.
Highlighting the poor civic amenities at the hospital, Prakash Babu alleged that the institution had been facing a severe drinking water shortage for the past two months. He also claimed that the centralised air-conditioning system was non-functional, washrooms were unhygienic, and there was an acute shortage of medical and surgical supplies, including head caps, surgical gloves, oxygen masks and other essential equipment, affecting both staff and patient care.
