Day two of nurses' strike cripples services at GMCs
With no resolution in sight, the situation turned alarming, especially in GMCH's general wards where patients were reportedly at risk due to the absence of trained nursing staff.
Over 1,100 nurses at GMCH, 150 at Mayo, and 35 at the Ayurvedic Hospital abstained from work since Thursday to protest unresolved salary anomalies under the 7th Pay Commission. As a result, all scheduled surgeries came to a halt, and the number of both minor and critical procedures dropped by more than 50%, hospital sources confirmed.
GMCH has 52 general wards, 12 operation theatres, 5 intensive care units (ICUs), and 3 casualty departments — all requiring constant nursing support. However, only 109 nurses reported for duty on Friday, forcing the hospital administration to redistribute manpower urgently.
With no nurses in several wards, the burden of basic patient care — including administering medication, shifting patients, and hygiene support — fell on the relatives of patients.
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"Doctors are instructing family members to perform tasks usually handled by trained nurses. This is putting both the patients and caregivers at risk," said a hospital insider.
The Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, which has five wards and two labour rooms, is facing extreme difficulty. The shortage of nurses led to delays in delivering medicines and treatment to expectant mothers. Resident doctors are stepping in to perform nursing duties, which is stretching them beyond capacity.
In a desperate bid to deal with the chaos, both GMCH and Mayo have begun discharging stable patients even before completing full treatment. This move has triggered anxiety among families who fear inadequate care might worsen their loved ones' condition.
Nursing students called in
To deal with the crisis, the state health department has deployed 40 temporary staff and roped in about 70 second and third year students, including MSc nursing students from GMCH's Nursing College.
Despite their efforts, the shortfall remains significant with experts sounding a warning that prolonged disruption may severely compromise patient safety.
Healthcare workers and families of patients have appealed to the state govt to urgently intervene and resolve the issue. "The situation is no longer just about pay – it is now about the lives of patients. The govt must act before the damage becomes irreversible," said a senior doctor at GMCH.
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