Nurses Strike Brings AIIMS New Delhi to standstill, HC directs nurses to return back to work

New Delhi: It was an excruciating day for all at AIIMS, Delhi after the nursing professionals associated with the prestigious medical institution did not turn up for work following a an indefinite strike called by the AIIMS nursing Union after their Union president was suspended by hospital administration.

The union sought immediate revocation of suspension of Kajla and stopping of all kinds of retaliative measures against union executives and union members of main OT.

The Doctor- Nurse Divide at AIIMS

The said nursing officer was suspended after a squabble with a resident doctor in the OT on April 22,  prompting the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) to complain to the administration against Kajla for alleged misbehaviour with a resident doctor on duty and demanding  immediate suspension of Kajla and initiation of disciplinary actions against him.

"A very disgraceful and unprovoked incident of misbehaviour towards a resident doctor on duty took place in the morning hours of April 22. The accused person, who has been identified as Harish Kajla, not only outraged the modesty of a resident doctor but also disrupted the essential services by instigating the OT staff," the RDA said in the complaint letter to the AIIMS administration.

Meanwhile the situation escalated on Saturday when some of the nursing officers began protesting on Saturday, in the main operation theatre (OT) which led to the cancellation of over 50 planned surgeries a day before.

The AIIMS administration issued a show-cause notice to some of its nursing officers and further on Monday suspended nursing officer Harish Kumar Kajla with immediate effect for allegedly disrupting OT patient services on April 22.

The suspension order read, "A disciplinary proceeding is contemplated against Harish Kumar Kajla, nursing officer, AIIMS, New Delhi. The undersigned in excercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (I) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services Rule 1965 read with Regulaton 33 of AIIMS Regulations 2019, hereby places Harish Kumar Kajla under suspension with immediate effect." The order was signed by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.

The Call for the Strike

Following the suspension of Kajla, AIIMS nursing union called for an indefinite strike

"In response to your unilateral decision to suspend Harish Kajla, president of AIIMS Nurses Union, without even citing proper reasons, the union has called an emergency executive meeting and decided to go on indefinite strike from 8 a.m., 26/4/2022 demanding immediate revocation of suspension of Harish Kumar Kajla and stopping of all kinds of retaliative measures against union executives and Union members of main OT", said nurses union in a letter to AIIMS director Randeep Guleria.

In a statement, the union said: "The union has always been receptive and open to expressing our genuine concerns and version throughout this issue. But unfortunately, we were neither called, nor contacted via any communication which forced us to go on an indefinite strike to safeguard the basic rights of our members."

High Court Intervention 

Meanwhile the responding to an urgent plea moved by AIIMS, the Delhi High Court has directed the Union to ensure that it's workers including nursing officers immediately rejoin work forthwith pending further orders passed in the matter

"...The Nursing Union has refused to attend their duties with effect from 26th April 2022, 8 am This has resulted in the cancellation of various emergency operations and has seriously crippled functioning and working of the petitioner medical institution." the court noted

" Since the impugned action of the Union would cause grave prejudice and also seriously impede and impact the working of the petitioner institution, the respondent union is hereby directed to ensure that its  members including the nursing officers immediately re-join work fortwith pending further orders being passed on the present writ petition," the court added

Meanwhile, Dr Guleria has also appealed the nurses to return back to work and join back their duties.

The resident doctors' association of AIIMS, has also termed this as "one-off situation" that should not be treated as a face-off between doctors and nurses.

Update: Following the directive of the Hon. Delhi High Court, AIIMS nursing Union called off the strike

"A meeting of available union executives and Ad-Hoc members has been held on 26/4/22 at 8.30PM to discuss about the course of action.It has been decided to call off the ongoing indefinite strike and to continue the agitation and protest by other modes as the Hon. Delhi High Court directed to rejoin for duties," stated the Union

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