BJP MDC demands NHM to conduct fresh recruitment of nurses in Garo Hills

SHILLONG, AUG 28: BJP Tura MDC Bernard N Marak has requested the Centre to direct National Health Mission (NHM) Meghalaya to conduct fresh nursing recruitment for Garo Hills.

In a letter to Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh L Mandaviya on Monday, Marak said, “I would like to press upon you a prayer to direct NHM Meghalaya to conduct fresh recruitment for Garo Hills region keeping those selected for their respective districts. To cancel would be injustice to the innocent candidates, but fresh recruitment would be a better option for the Garo candidates.”

He alleged that an injustice has been meted on the Garo nurses in the recruitment MLHP by NHM Meghalaya, where eligible Garo nurses were deprived of their rightful place by the policies and intransparent method adopted by the authorities.

He said this has caused immense pain to the people of Garo Hills as the denial of privileges is betrayal of one section of the community.

“Barring access to the eligible Garo nurses from being recruited into MLHP has mounted into a major sentimental issue. What is interesting is that, for the post in Garo Hills no Garos were appointed but the appointments were made specifically from two institutes, that is Woodland Nursing Institution and NEIGRIHMS. No due consideration was given to other potential candidates, which included graduates from government quotas,” the MDC said.

He further alleged that the number of posts also is said to have increased after the results were declared, raising doubts over the transparency of the recruitment process even as he demanded “that proper inquiry be conducted to bring out the facts and bring justice to the deprived nurses.”

Marak said fresh recruitment for Garo Hills should be conducted and those selected, instead of cancelling, should be posted in their respected areas/districts where they will be able to communicate in their own language.

In order to work in a remote village in Garo Hills, one needs to know the language for easy communication and to work at ease.

Meanwhile, the MDC said that the clarification given by the state authorities that Garos are not qualified enough for the posts is an understatement which cannot be justified as in reality and on record, there are many qualified candidates among the Garos for MLHP within the existing standards of BSc nursing as well as GNM graduates as the curriculum and requirements for BSc nursing courses remain consistent.