KOCHI: Providing a new twist to the ongoing strike at the MOSC Medical College in Kolenchery, the management and nurses’ association have reportedly reached a consensus reagarding the pay hike. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College (MOSCMC) management has reportedly, in principle, accepted the demands put forth by the nurses’ association.As per the in-principle agreement, which was okayed by both the parties involved, a staff nurse is entitled to Rs 11,000 per month as salary. An increment of Rs 500 per year has also been agreed by the management. However, the strike will continue till an official announcement is made on Sunday. The talk between MOSCMC authorities and All India Nurses’ Welfare Association (AINWA) held on the Synthite Industries Limited premises, was mediated by V P Sajeendran MLA and local body office-bearers. Meanwhile, the hospital management had closed down the hospital on Saturday. All the patients were either discharged or referred to other hospitals by Friday evening.The functioning of the medical college also came to a halt as the management had already sent back medical and nursing students in the wake of the strike and the ensuing violence. However, the management’s effort to forcefully evacuate the female nursing and paramedical staff from the hostel created some unwarranted scenes on Saturday. The hospital authorities had allegedly thrown out the belongings of some of the inmates.Meanwhile, striking nurses at Sacred Heart Hospital, Pynkulam, held a protest march to the Bishop’s Houses in Kothamangalam and Kolencheri alleging that the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) was behind the hospital management’s decision not to hike their salary. In a bid to intensify the stir, president of the Indian Registered Nurses’ Association (IRNA) M P Santhosh launched an indefinite hunger strike on the hospital premises on Saturday.
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