Tamil Nadu contract nurses’ protest continues as government announces measures

The standoff between the Tamil Nadu government and protesting contract nurses persisted on Monday as Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian engaged in new negotiations and unveiled steps to address their demands. The Tamil Nadu Nurses Development Association representatives met the Minister at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University in Guindy as the protest entered its fifth day. Senior Health Department officials, including Secretary P. Senthilkumar, were also part of the discussions. Subramanian, addressing the media post-meeting, acknowledged the nurses’ “legitimate demands” and assured a thorough review. Since the DMK government took charge, 3,614 contract nurses have been regularized. The Chief Minister has instructed a comprehensive examination of all valid demands. Notable announcements included the creation of 750 new nursing positions, with 724 reserved for COVID-19 frontline workers, and the imminent issuance of permanent orders to 169 eligible nurses. The government is actively considering extending paid maternity leave to MRB and consolidated-pay nurses. Plans for nursing colleges at government medical college hospitals are also in progress. Subramanian criticized the flawed MRB recruitment system introduced during the previous AIADMK regime. Despite these commitments, protesting nurses are yet to end their agitation, awaiting further consultations with their leadership. The protest, which began on December 18 with hunger strikes and demands for equal pay and permanent appointments, has shifted locations but remains ongoing. The future of the protest now depends on the response of the nursing unions to the government’s latest assurances.