NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Covid-19
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu

INTERACTIVE ELECTION MAPS

image/svg+xml
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
×
For latest updates on nCOVID-19 around the world visit our INTERACTIVE COVID MAP
Protests & Movements
Politics
India

Tamil Nadu Village Nurses Protest Against Government’s Negligence

The nurses alleged that they are overburdened with excessive documentation work, while malfunctioning software often lead to their victimisation by authorities.
Nileena S.B
29 Jul 2019
Tamil Nadu Village Nurses Protest Against Government’s Negligence

Tamil Nadu Village Health Nurses’ Association conducted a demonstration on July 29 demanding the immediate dispersal of funds from the state government and to stop victimisation. More than 100 village nurses participated in the protest in front of the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services in Chennai.

From malfunctioning software to the work overload, the nurses had a number of complaints against the government.

S113002513.jpg

The government had declared Rs 18,000 assistance for pregnant women from poor economic background through primary health centres under the Dr. Muthulakshmi maternity benefit scheme. But, in many cases the funds get delayed due to red tape and the blame goes to the nurses.

The nurses are using a software, PIGMY, to enter the data on the deliveries. Birth certificates are allowed based on this data provided by the nurses. But they allege that this software is malfunctioning and causes many errors, which in turn leads to the funds being delayed and the authority victimise the nurses for this. Many face suspension and transfer due to the technical error.

Also watch: After Jaya, Health Sector in Tamil Nadu Takes Hit

“People with more than 20 years of work experience are also threatened with transfer or dismissal,” C Parameswari, the state president of Tamil Nadu Village Health Nurses’ Association told NewsClick. She added, “We demand to exempt them from any punitive measures considering their experience and age factor.”

“We are not people with ITI diplomas. But they are making us work as data entry operators,” said Gourishankari, who was participating in the protest. “Even the court is saying that Aadhaar is not mandatory for anything. But we have to use aadhaar for everything. And they are giving us only one day training for this technical job,” added her.

Another demand they put forward is regarding field work. Field work is an essential part of the work of a village nurse. But they are burdened with excessive documentation work, thus, not leaving enough time for any proper field work. They also demanded the filling up of vacancies to reduce the workload of the existing nurses.

S113002515.jpg

The village health nurses are recruited for about 2,000 to 5,000 people. But in many places, this limit exceeds 17,000. This is causing tremendous work pressure on these people. At times, they have to cover the jobs of sweepers as well staff nurses depending on the situation.

Village nurses are an integral part of the Tamil Nadu health system. Employed under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), they mainly work in rural health centres. The qualification criteria for village nurses is diploma in nursing which is looked down upon in the medical field. In 2013, the government appointed staff nurses as supervisors for training village nurses which had caused a stir. But it was implemented on the technicality of educational qualification.

Also read: National Rural Health Mission in Shambles, What Does Budget Promise

The new Budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also ignored the health sector. Though the allocation on health sector has improved considerably, it did not mention anything about any programmes or policy changes. The allocation for NRHM was raised to Rs 27,039 crore which is a 7.11% increase from the previous Budget. But the increase in budget allocation will be of no use if it is not implemented efficiently, which has been the case so far.

The economic survey conducted by the central government itself has revealed the lack of proper infrastructure in this field.

Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.
Village Nurses Protest
Tamil Nadu Village Health Nurses Association
Tamil Nadu
healthcare
National Rural Health Mission
Related Stories
TN19022021

'Tamil Nadu Govt. Fixing e-Tenders'

Manual Scavenging deaths in Tamil Nadu

4 Manual Scavenging Deaths in 4 Days, TN Govt Takes No Onus

Sanition Workers

TN: Sanitation Workers to Carry On Protesting if Wage Delay Not Resolved

TN this Week: Farmers, IT Employees, Sanitation Workers and the Differently-Abled Hit the Streets Demanding Basic Rights

TN this Week: Farmers, IT Employees, Sanitation Workers and the Differently-Abled Hit the Streets Demanding Basic Rights

fire

Tamil Nadu: At Least 11 Workers Killed in Fireworks Factory Explosion

TN: Anganwadi and Mid-Day-Meal Workers Storm Chennai for Long Pending Demands

TN: Anganwadi and Mid-Day-Meal Workers Storm Chennai for Long Pending Demands

Bolivarian Healthcare

Bolivarian Healthcare: An Alternative to Neoliberal Healthcare

Tn this week 57

TN This Week: Workers Rise in Rage for Their Rights, Oppose Union Budget and Privatisation

Rural-Health-India

Economic Survey: Opportunity to Reorient Health Policies Wasted?

Healthcare in Budget

Economic Survey 2021: Government’s Focus on Free Market for Healthcare?

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share

Related Stories

Sabrang India

Government Hospital to Compensate for Unforeseen Death and Injury: Madras HC

27 February 2021
Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court has held that the Government is obligated to offer ex gratia payment to an aggrieved party if an in
Sruti MD

TN: Anganwadi Workers, Differently-Abled Persons Resume Protests amid Govt Apathy

24 February 2021
Anganwadi workers and assistants have resumed t
Sruti M.D.

TN this Week: Election Campaigns in Full-Swing, Brutal Police Attack on Protestors, Four Manual Scavenging Deaths

20 February 2021
Tamil Nadu’s capital city of Chennai witnessed a ruthless police attack on protesting government employees dema

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Heat wave India

    IMD: Above Normal Summer Temperatures Likely across Country Except South, Central India

  • Parthodas gupta

    TRP Scam: Bombay HC Grants Bail to BARC’s ex-CEO Partho Dasgupta

  • Massive crowd at brigade ground

    ‘Wind is Changing’: People at Massive Brigade Rally Upbeat About Left-Congress-ISF Alliance in Bengal

  • LPG subsidy down to Rs 16 from Rs 300

    Andhra: Amid Fuel Price Hike, LPG Subsidy Down to Rs 16 per Cylinder for Consumers

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about