Nurses’ strike continues to affect private hospitals in Kerala

As the indefinite strike of nurses affiliated with the United Nurses Association (UNA) enters its second day on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, private hospitals in Kerala are facing an unviable situation. The functioning of key departments of some major institutions in districts like Kozhikode has been severely affected and patients have been left stranded.

According to sources, many hospitals are now refusing to admit patients due to lack of required nursing staff. Services in departments such as emergency care, intensive care and neonatal care were affected. Efforts to transfer patients to government hospitals were unsuccessful. Doctors are trying to manage the situation by expressing their helplessness. Surgeries other than emergency categories are postponed.

The UNA had been carrying out agitations for the last few weeks to provide a better salary package and other benefits. They resorted to strike on March 4, demanding the basic wage to be ₹40,000. Although the state government subsequently issued a draft notification revising the basic salary structure, UNA began its indefinite strike on March 9, claiming that some managements were not willing to implement the new salary structure. On Tuesday, UNA members staged a ‘dharna’ outside the Kozhikode collection.

However, hospital managements are reportedly making their own plans to overcome the crisis. Addressing the media, Kerala Private Hospital Association president Hussain Koya Thangal said that the strike was illegal as UNA did not give notice 14 days before starting the protest. He alleged that UNA was trying to get a pay rise while playing with the lives of patients. Mr. Thangal also urged the State government to invoke the provisions of the Maintenance of Essential Services Act against the striking nurses. He added that if the unauthorized absence of nursing staff continues to paralyze the services of hospitals, relevant institutions will take necessary action against them.

However, UNA’s functionaries like national president Jasminsha told the media that the administrations were playing with the lives of unfortunate patients. He claimed that majority of the 490-odd private hospitals in the state have reached an agreement with UNA on the revised salary structure. Only about 100 people, including some major corporate-run hospitals, were not ready to sign an agreement. He also alleged that the management appointed nurses with a daily salary of ₹ 2,000 to deal with the strike. Mr. Jasminsha said UNA only asks for a daily salary of around ₹1,300.