After Doctors, Now 2100 Nurses go on Strike at PGI Chandigarh | Surgeries Postponed, Medical Services Hit

Around 2100 nurses at PGI Chandigarh have gone on strike joining the nation wide nurses strike, affecting medical services in a big way. This is not the first time that PGI Chandigarh is in news for its medical services being hit. Although the authorities at PGI Chandigarh claimed that no services were hit, in reality quite a number of patients were seen suffering. The same was witnessed by The Tribune team which went on a reality check at PGI.

The strike of nurses at PGI has badly hit the health services and created a great inconvenience and disappointment for the people visiting the hospital. The patients are suffering a delay in the medical treatment at PGI Chandigarh. A large number of patients who came at different outpatient departments (OPD) of the hospital were left unattended due to the nurses strike.

Nursing students are there to help doctors & patients in daily proceedings, but they seemed to be overloaded with work due to the rush at PGI. A number of surgeries have been postponed as there will be no one to assist the doctors in the operation theaters (OT).

Why are Nurses Striking & What They Are Demanding

  • Salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission.
  • The starting grade pay should be increased.
  • Nurses are also demanding night allowance to be paid for the times they work in night shifts.

What’s happening at PGI:

  • Over 355 nursing students have been posted in emergency and various other departments at PGI to assist doctors and perform nursing tasks.
  • Planned surgeries have been postponed and patients who turned up for surgeries are being sent back home.
  • PGI has said that if the nurses do not end their strike, they will not be paid for the striking period. PGI is thinking about adopting the “No work no pay” mode.
  • Authorities have said that they would source nurses from various organizations like NINE.
  • Rumors have come up that PGI is recruiting 150 new nurses on an immediate basis.

Last month resident doctors at PGI went on a strike making patients suffer. This time, it is nurses who are striking.

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Harpreet Kaur

Harpreet Dandiwal is a medical professional who works at a reputed hospital in Chandigarh. The passion for writing and love for Chandigarh makes Harpreet a contributing author on ChandigarhMetro.com.
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