Tamil Nadu Redeploys 210 Nurse Posts Amid Shortage, Draws Strong Objections
The Tamil Nadu government has approved the redeployment of 210 staff nurse posts from seven new medical college hospitals to four major medical institutions, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from nurses' associations who demand the creation of new posts instead.
According to a government order, 40 posts each are being transferred from the Government Medical College Hospitals (GMCH) in Namakkal and Tiruvallur; 20 each from Krishnagiri and Tiruppur; and 30 each from The Nilgiris, Ariyalur, and Kallakurichi. These posts are being redeployed to Government Stanley Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in Chennai, Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi, and Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital. SMCH receives the largest share of 70 posts, followed by 50 each for Tiruchi and Chengalpattu, and 40 for Salem.
The Directorate of Medical Education and Research justified the move by citing critical patient care needs and the staff nurse-to-bed ratio. It stated that the 210 posts were not being surrendered or diverted for other purposes but simply reassigned to address shortages in the four institutions.
However, the Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association condemned the decision. General Secretary N. Subin said the redeployment would strain health services in the sending hospitals and increase workloads on nurses. He noted that the association had previously objected to a similar redeployment of 292 nursing posts earlier this month. The association has repeatedly demanded the creation of new nursing posts to match patient loads, citing acute shortages across government hospitals and primary health centres.
The association warned that if the government does not cancel the order and instead create new posts, nurses would be forced to stage continuous protests. Subin appealed to the newly elected state government to intervene immediately and abandon the redeployment policy.
This development highlights the ongoing tension between the state's reliance on redeployment as a temporary fix and the growing demand for permanent staffing solutions in Tamil Nadu's public healthcare system.
