Nurses call off protest after govt accedes to their demands

Wahab handed over the notification, approving the demands of the protesters, to Sindh Nurses Alliance leaders

KARACHI: Nurses in Sindh, who have been staging demonstrations for more than two weeks, have ended the protest following the issuance of the notification approving their demands. They have also announced to end their boycott of public health facilities.

Their demands included the promotion and up-gradation of nursing staff in accordance with the four-tier formula, provision of health allowance, giving nursing school principals powers equivalent to those of DDOs, appointment of 14,000 new nurses and increasing the stipend of nursing students to Rs25,000.

Friday marked the 16th day of nurses' protest, during which they staged a sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), holding banners, in order to urge the government to accede to their demands. However, the protest came to an end as Adviser to Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-Corruption Murtaza Wahab and Health Secretary Saeed Ahmed Awan reached KPC and handed over the notification for the approval of nurses' demands to the leaders of Sindh Nurses Alliance.

As per the notification, the Sindh government has approved all of the demands, except for the increase in stipend of nursing students. After discussion, both parties agreed to defer its approval to a later date.

Speaking on the occasion, Wahab remarked that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)- led Sindh government believes in fulfilling its promises and it has been serious about resolving nurses' issues all this while. He informed the protesters that the decision about issuing the notification was made on Monday or Tuesday.

Wahab congratulated the nurses on the approval of their "fair demands" and said that "the demands have been approved on the recommendations of [PPP chairperson] Bilawal Bhutto Zardari". He further said that it is not only nurses' victory but of all those who value democracy.

Appreciating the government for fulfilling its promise, Sindh Nurses Alliance leader Aijaz Kalheri expressed the hope that as the notification has been issued, the summary for increasing the nurses' allowance will also be approved soon.

He thanked the Sindh government and announced that nurses will return to their duties from the next day, officially ending the protest.

Rejoiced by the issuance of the notification, nurses shouted slogans in the government's favour, danced and distributed sweets.

Addressing the nurses, Wahab asked them to make joint efforts for the betterment of healthcare facilities and continue to serve patients.

He said that some elements had tried to create a misunderstanding between the government and nurses, which proves that the "sit-in party only wants to create disharmony." However, the public is well aware and can differentiate between mischief mongers and those who want to serve society, he added.

Wahab also lambasted the federal government, claiming that remarks by the ruling party's members have been provocative during the period of the protest and yet they failed to create a rift between the Sindh government and the nurses.

Sindh government is the only provincial government in the country which provides allowance to nurses, he claimed, adding that if PTI cares so much for the nurses, it should take steps for increasing nurses' allowance in the Centre as well as in other provinces.

"We have increased nurses' allowance and now it's their [federal government's] turn to reduce taxes," he said.

Wahab said that nurses were forced to demand an increase in their salaries due to rising inflation in the country. "International Monetary Fund's budget is anti-people budget and the PTI government has ruined the economy of Pakistan," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2019.