Over 100 postgraduate students of Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital staged a protest for the second consecutive day on the hospital premises demanding clear allocation of duties.
They withdrew their protest in the evening following a meeting with health department officials.
According to the students, the hospital administration had told interns not to administer injections following a protest. Staff nurses too, were not administering injections.
“The hospital administration then instructed PGs and assistant professors to administer injections, which we opposed,” said a student.
Interns of various government medical colleges have been protesting for nearly two months now over being made to do routine tasks that were the duties of nursing and paramedical staff.
Later in the day, members of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), staff nurses’ association, house surgeons and PG students met the State health secretary.
“We opposed the instruction issued at KMC. At the meeting, staff nurses agreed to administer injections, while interns will do so at some places including at emergency wards for now. The nurses pointed to the shortage of staff and requested additional postings. The secretary said more staff nurses would be posted soon, and in the meantime, a few nurses would be appointed on a contract basis,” said P. Balakrishnan, state secretary of TNGDA.
