Balasore: Work at the district headquarter hospital here came to a standstill for five hours on Tuesday as all the staff nurses sat on a dharna in front of the Chief District Medical Officer’s (CDMO) office. They were demanding appropriate action against a patient’s relatives who had allegedly manhandled a nurse five days back.
On May 10, a staff nurse Rita Hati, had allegedly demanded Rs 1000 from a patient, Pramila Mohanty who had given birth to a baby girl. Her relatives could only afford to pay Rs 300. This allegedly, led to an altercation and scuffle between the nursing staff and the relatives following which the nurses suspended work.
They came back on duty only after an assurance by the administration, Medical College Superintendent and the police that the patient’s relatives would be arrested, said the Collector (Balasore), Ramesh Chandra Rout.
“We want the accused to be arrested and security for the staff on the duty,” said Sasmita Ray, Secretary of the Staff Nurse Association of Balasore district.
Meanwhile patients bore the brunt due to the dharna. “I had come from Jaleswar to by buy blood for my patient. Since there was no service here and my patient was serious, I shifted him to a private nursing home,” said Sunita Swain.
