An alarming shortage of nursing staff in Kerala government hospitals has severely impacted the delivery of efficient healthcare services. Currently, over 2,000 nursing positions remain unfilled due to delayed recruitment and promotions, posing significant challenges to the healthcare system. The most substantial vacancies, approximately 2,000, are for the role of Junior Public Health Nurse (Grade 2), which has seen no appointments in the past three years. The scarcity extends to other positions as well, with nearly 450 vacancies for Public Health Nurses across various government hospitals. District Public Health Nurses and Maternal Child Health Officers also suffer from a scarcity of staff, negatively affecting hospital operations in multiple districts.
Additionally, no promotions have been granted from Junior Public Health Nurse Grade 2 to Grade 1 in the past three years, resulting in numerous unfilled positions and experienced personnel being forced to retire from Grade 2 roles. The outdated staff pattern in hospitals, established six decades ago, fails to meet the demands of the current times. Consequently, many government hospitals experience a shortage of nurses relative to the number of beds available for inpatient treatment. Urgent action is required to address this issue, as approximately 8,000 additional nurses need to be appointed to meet the patient-to-nurse ratio.
At present, government hospitals in Kerala have only 12,000 nurses, significantly below the required strength of 20,000. Despite the heavy burden faced by the existing staff, the State Government has taken no measures to fill the vacancies. However, in a positive development, the State Government plans to issue an ordinance to amend the existing act, aiming to enhance the protection of healthcare workers. Various nursing associations, including the Kerala Government Junior Public Health Nurses & Supervisors Union, have emphasized the importance of including nurses within the scope of the amended act. The amendment comes in the aftermath of the tragic Kottarakkara incident, where a patient killed a young house surgeon. Nurses’ organizations have also called upon the government to ensure timely appointments and promotions to ensure the smooth functioning of government hospitals.
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