Victoria Hospital nurses seek parity in work benefits

Nurses at the Victoria Hospital, which comes under the Medical Education Department, have urged the state government to treat them on a par with nurses employed by the Health Department.

The Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute Permananet Staff Nurses’ Association said that although they are government employees getting the same pay, they do not get other employment benefits available to nurses working in the hospitals of the Health Department.

Association president Santosh Kumar B said the disparity started in 2008 when the Medical Education Department was split from the Health Department. "The government stopped all our benefits. Our salary slips show nothing but the deduction of professional tax," he said.

A senior nurse at the Victoria Hospital said they do not get the general provident fund (GPF) or the government insurance (KGID). "We have also been kept out of the national pension scheme (NPS) without any reason. We will work to fight COVID-19 regardless of what we get. But the government should consider our plea when we are in such a precarious situation,” he said.

Santosh gave copies of the letters the association has written to department officials and ministers.

“The medical college staff put in hard work as they address the needs of patients referred by primary and community health centres. But the discrimination shows that the government has not recognised our role,” he said.

Welcoming the Rs 50-lakh insurance for COVID-19 fighters, he noted that the facility ends after three months. “It is left to the government to decide on extending it. We urge the government to extend the general insurance facility,” he added.

‘Will look into the issue’

Medical Education Minister Dr D Sudhakar said he would look into the issue. “Nurses in both the department are doing the same work and such discrimination should not exist. I will look into the matter at the earliest,” he said.