Port Blair, Sep 17: Mr Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, PCC today informed the Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Islands that there are possibilities of generating more posts of Nurses in our Islands.
Mr Sharma today met the Chief Secretary with a delegation of trained nurses and stated that in our Islands there are as many as 450 odd well qualified Nurses seeking employment for over 12 to 13 years. These Nurses are the local residents of the Islands and hails from families having ordinary to poor financial background. Most of them got married and have school going children which exaggerate their financial crisis. Nevertheless, in the name of employability, these Nurses are engaged by the Directorate of Health Services on leave vacancy for a period ranging from 45 to 90 days on rotational basis which comes after a gap of 2 to 3 years.
“Hardly any new posts of Nurses have been created by the Health department of A&N Administration since over a decade, the only vacancies which arise intermittently are due to promotion, retirement or death of the in service person. With hardly any private hospital in these Islands having a potential source for employing Nurses, the A&N Administration remains the only reliable means,” Mr Sharma added.
Further, pleading for the nurses, Mr Sharma stated that the limited job opportunity in the Islands, our remoteness from mainland of India and educationally backwardness, the upper age limit of 33 years for Male and 38 years for Female was incorporated in the Recruitment Rules by the AN Administration, much prior to the advent of Sixth Pay Commission .Such kind of increased upper age preference for entry into service as direct recruit was given by the A&N Administration regardless of the lower entry age limit prescribed by the DOP&T .
“Hence, it is requested that the Corrigendum issued vide F, No.6-1(6)/2009-MPH (PF-1) dated 7th April2011 bringing about reduction in upper age limit to 30 years may kindly be withdrawn,” Mr. Sharma said.
He has also informed him the possibilities of creating more and more posts of nurses for which he has suggested that the Directorate of Health Services, A&N Administration to expeditiously take up the issue of upgrading the G.B. Pant Government Hospital at Port Blair to 500 bedded hospital. Besides this providing job opportunities to various strata of health workers will enhance the medical facilities at the only referral hospital in our Islands. Similar efforts can also be made by the Health department to upgrade its Health Centers located at various Islands.
The UPA Government has launched a community based centrally sponsored flagship program namely National Rural Health Mission(NRHM) with a goal to improve the availability of and access to quality health care by the people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the poor, women and children. The Mission envisages enhancing the capacity of Panchayti Raj Institutions (PRIs) to own, control and manage public health service and promote access to improved healthcare at household level through a ,female Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA).Under the Mission every village is to have an ASHA chosen and accountable to Panchayat to act as an interface between the community and the public health system.
Departments like Jail, Registrar of District & Session Judge, Port Blair Municipal Council who have the regular posts of Nurses created with them may be issued instruction to appoint Nurses by direct recruitment rather than filling up the post through deputation as this method of filling posts does not generate additional employment.
The Inter Island passenger ships owned Directorate of Shipping Services which performs over night journey such as Dering, Kalighat, Campbell Bay etc. need to position Nurses on board the vessel to combat eventualities during the course of Journeys .
At last Mr Sharma added that during the year 2006 to 2009 the Home Guard department on the request of Directorate of IP&T employed 8(eight) Lady Home Guard (Staff Nurse) for their deployment at various beaches such as Corbyne cove, Havelock, Wandoor & Hope Town to extend medical coverage to the visiting tourist. This practice has been discontinued where as the requirement still exists. Hence, it is requested to reintroduce the practice of placement of Lady Home Guard (Staff Nurse) at these locations and in long run the Directorate of IP&T may initiate action for creation of regular posts of Nurses for various similar tourist destinations.
Placing suggestions Mr Sharma has requested to the Chief Secretary to kindly bestow personal attention to the issues narrated above which if addressed properly will definitely bring relief to unemployed Nurses besides improving Medical facilities and Public Health System in our Islands.
