Tamil Nadu: MRB Covid nurses continue to protest against government, demand permanent jobs

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 6 : The Medical Recruitment Board (MRB) Covid Nurses Union hunger strike entered its fifth day on Thursday, with demands for job security as around 1500 nurses who were recruited in 2020 during the Covid-19 outbreak were dismissed from their posts.
MRB Covid nurses were hired on a contract basis till last year following which they were dismissed after an order issued by the government on December 30, 2022.
They have been demanding the withdrawal of the order and regular placements in the health department.
As per the information, a total of 2472 MRB Staff Nurses have been dismissed.
Protesting Nurses said they have been working for 2 years and 7 months, claiming even they have been working without pay for the past six months.
A few of the protesting Nurses who were on hunger strike for 5 days had to be shifted to a hospital after their health conditions deteriorated.
Shanthi, Secretary, of the Tamil Nadu Health workers Federation said, "They are demanding permanent jobs. Tamil Nadu government should consider their demands and fulfil them on priority."
"These Nurses have worked very hard during Covid Pandemic. they deserve to be regularized. DMK government should regularise them as promised in the election manifesto," Shanthi added.
Narmatha, who has been protesting for five days while speaking to ANI said, "We joined during Covid 19 times. we took a huge risk. we left behind our family. Some among us lost few family members, still, we continued to work for public".
"For the past 5 months, we have not been paid our salaries. we had believed strongly that TN Government would regularise us, but last month they dismissed us," said, Poornima, another MRB Nurse.
"We won't withdraw our Hunger protest until our demands are met," she said.