Nursing students' demand met 8 Jul 2008, 0611 hrs IST,TNN PANAJI: The students of the Institute of Nursing Education (INE) called off their strike on Monday as they won over exclusive rights to the new building constructed at Bambolim to house the institute.
Joint secretary for health, Dattaram Sardessai, issued a letter to the protesting students on the afternoon of July 7, 2008 stating that the new building at Bambolim will be used "exclusively for the activities of the INE." The letter also stated that the two blocks occupied by the Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI) ambulance service will be shifted with effect from Monday. Provision has now been made to accomodate EMRI in an equivalent space in the Goa Medical College. The letter was issued on the instructions of health minister, Vishwajit Rane. As a result, the inaugural ceremony of the new construction was held as scheduled in the evening on July 7, 2008 wherein the health minister assured the students the building will be utilised solely for housing the nursing institute. The inaugural ceremony was also attended by the chief minister, Digambar Kamat, speaker of the legislative assembly, Pratapsingh Rane, parliamentary secretary, Francis Silveira, chief secretary, J P Singh, dean of GMC, Dr V N Jindal, director of health services, Rajnanda Desai and Dr Pramod Salgaonkar of the women's commission. Speaking on the occassion, the chief minister said that giving state the best of health services is a priority for his government. Kamat also said that he further plans to introduce post-graduate course in nursing in the institute. Meanwhile, the students of the INE have demanded that the principal of the college should allow the institute to be shifted to the new complex with immediate effect. It may be recalled that the students of the institute had boycotted their classes and staged a protest outside the new complex at Bambolim since Sunday. The hundred students of the institute were protesting against the handing over part of the new structure to the Hyderabad based EMRI. The new structure was originally constructed exclusively to house the INE and the infrastructure would qualify the institute for recognition from the Indian Nursing Council (INC). However, the authorities were forced to issue the letter on Monday evening assuring that EMRI would be moved out after the students refused to call off the strike based on verbal assurances from the head of the institute and the director of health services. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Goa/Nursing_students_demand_met/rssarticleshow/3208999.cms * * * Nursing students demand INC recognition 7 Jul 2008, 0729 hrs IST,TNN Print EMail Discuss New Bookmark/Share Save Write to Editor PANAJI: In an effort to increase chances of obtaining Indian Nursing Council (INC) recognition, the students of the Institute of Nursing Education accompanied by their parents staged a day-long protest outside the new building constructed to house the college. The new structure originally constructed exclusively for the purpose of housing the Institute of Nursing Education was scheduled to be inaugurated on July 7. But the state government's decision to hand over a part of the structure to Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI) has angered the students. EMRI is a private ambulance service with its head office based in Hyderabad. The company was to conduct interviews on Sunday at 9 am. The protestors, however, blocked the EMRI officials from entering the building and the interviews were thereafter conducted at the Panaji Residency. A full-fledged building is one of the pre-requisites to qualify for the recognition. Students of the nursing institute fear that with EMRI being accommodated in the new structure the nursing college will suffer a setback. A delegation of the aggrieved students and parents had earlier met the chief minister, Digambar Kamat where they were assured that the accommodation of EMRI is only a temporary arrangement. On Sunday morning, a delegation also contacted health minister Vishwajit Rane and demanded that the use of the new building for any other purpose than housing the nursing institute should be disallowed. However, the protestors said that they were not extended any support. The students also said that they also did not receive any positive response from the principal of their institute. Therefore, the students have decided to continue their protest and boycott classes from Monday onwards. Meanwhile, criticising health minister Vishwajit Rane's move to accommodate the emergency ambulance service and its call centre at the new building, the state BJP said it would support the agitating students. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Goa/Nursing_students_demand_INC_recognition/rssarticleshow/3204587.cms