LAHORE – Nurses of the Children Hospital blocked the Mall today asking for a special allowance and monthly stipend.
Punjab Health Parliamentary Secretary Dr Saeed Elahi said the government is resolving nurses’ problems on priority basis and for the first time, present government has regularized services of 7,500 nurses working on contract basis and has recruited 2,000 nurses recently. Dr Elahi, in a statement, termed the protest by Children Hospital’s nurses as unjustified and added that most of the nurses’ demands had already been fulfilled. He said on Punjab chief minister’s directions, matters relating to nurses’ services are being resolved and nurses have been promoted from grade 14 to 16, 17, 18 and 20.
He said some special allowances, as per rules, are discontinued after regularisation, but the government has not decreased the salaries. Dr Ellahi said that recommendations regarding special allowance for nurses working in Children Hospital’s emergency ward have been prepared and a summary is being sent to the CM. He said the government is considering other nurses’ problems as well and steps will be taken soon for their resolution. He said monthly scholarship payment has also been made to nursing students of Children Hospital.
