The plight of Kerala nurses working in the strife-torn Yemen is moving from bad to worse and their hopes of catching an early flight back home seem to have hit the stone-wall.
It is learnt that Al Thawra Modern General Hospital authorities insulted K.V. Chandrasekharan, attache (visa) Indian embassy, Sanaa, on Sunday after he requested them to waive off the two months’ salary clause. Kishore, a native of Perungottukara in Thrissur district, working with Al Thawra, told this newspaper over phone, “Our embassy officials came in today to sort out the issue with the hospital management. But, they’re rebuked.”
Viju, a colleague of Kishore, and a native of Punalur in Kollam district alleged the hospital had started exacting revenge on them after they complained to the Indian embassy.
“They’re now issuing transfer orders to many of us,” he said. Kishore, who was working in the sterile department had now been transferred to the laundry department, he said.
Viju said 50 nurses so far have managed to find funds to pay up two months’ salary demand raised by the hospital to relieve them. However, 200 others are stranded for want of money.
There’re 408 Keralites working in the hospital. Of them, 250 nurses have put in their papers. Viju said they were contacted by the chief minister Oommen Chandy’s office on Saturday. “The official who called us said the government will fly us back free of cost. But, that can happen only if we get our passports which the hospital won’t give,” he lamented.
The situation at the General Military Hospital located at Hasaba — the heart of turmoil and trouble — is slightly different. There the employees have not received their salaries for the last two months.
“There are 300 nurses. At least, 100 of them now want to return. But, they don’t have any money since they’ve not got any salary for two months,” said Sonia Sebastian who managed to return recently. Unlike Al Thawra, the military hospital doesn’t demand two months pay.