Bengaluru, Feb 27 Health services in Karnataka were severely affected on Thursday as more than 9,000 nurses and paramedical staff hired on a contract basis by the state government went on an indefinite strike overnight.
The strike, organised by the Karnataka State Contract Paramedical Employees Welfare Association, entered its second day on Thursday. It began on Wednesday at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, where nurses and paramedical staff from all districts across the state gathered in protest.
Holding placards with slogans such as "Equal pay for equal work", "Divine justice, divine reach", and "We want justice," the protesters, mostly women, spent the night at the venue on the Mahashivratri festival day, demanding that the government address their concerns.
Health services, particularly in rural areas and small towns, have been disrupted, causing severe inconvenience to the public.
The striking nurses and paramedical staff are demanding a revision of their salaries and inter-district transfers. They criticised the government, stating that despite providing services for 15 years, they receive a meagre salary of just Rs 14,000 per month.
They are also demanding the confirmation of their services by the state government.
The state BJP unit has supported the agitation by nurses and expressed its solidarity with their struggle.
The Congress government is yet to respond to the demands of nurses.
Legislative Council's Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and BJP MP from Bengaluru Rural seat C.N. Manjunath visited the protestors on Wednesday.
The BJP has assured that their issues would be raised in the Assembly and the party would bring them to the government's attention.
Narayanaswamy had assured that he would speak to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard. He also stated that he would speak to the Health Minister.
Manjunath also assured the protestors that the party stood with them and would push for equal pay for equal work and for making their jobs permanent. Nurses, technicians, and other paramedical staff are essential to the healthcare system, he had assured.
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