Andhra Pradesh: 15 Years of Injustice, Nurses Demand Urgent Regularisation

Kadapa – Andhra Pradesh: After serving the public health system for over 15 years without job security, maternity benefits or medical leave, contract staff nurses across Andhra Pradesh have accused successive governments of systemic injustice, alleging that their long and dedicated service has been ignored while regular posts are being filled by less-experienced personnel. Raising these concerns, G Kamalbee, State Joint Secretary of the AP Contract Staff Nurses’ Struggle Committee, said the nurses have been pushed to the margins despite being the backbone of emergency and neonatal care.

15 years of service, still ‘Contract’ Andhra Pradesh

Kamalbee said that nearly 8,000 contract staff nurses across Andhra Pradesh have been working continuously for the last 15 years, performing duties identical to those of regular staff nurses but without any form of job security.

“For 15 years, we have been working like slaves, without permanence, without security, and without dignity, though our services are on par with regular staff nurses,” Kamalbee stated.

Regularisation notifications withheld

According to Kamalbee and many staff nurses, the government is required to issue regularisation notifications every year but has consistently failed to do so.

“The government has deliberately kept us as contract staff nurses for 15 years by not releasing regularisation notifications,” they alleged, adding that repeated appeals have yielded no results.

Regular posts filled, experienced nurses ignored

Expressing anguish, Kamalbee strongly criticised the policy of filling regular staff nurse posts by training “ANMs of Village Secretariat” for 18 months.

“It is a grave injustice to appoint ANMs of Village Secretariat, trained for just 18 months, into regular staff nurse posts while ignoring in-service, qualified nurses with 15 years of hands-on experience,” she said.

No maternity leave, no medical protection

Highlighting the personal toll, Kamalbee said contract staff nurses are denied even basic labour rights.

“Contract staff nurses do not have maternity leave. Women are forced to take two months of leave on loss of pay during pregnancy,” she said, calling it “inhuman and discriminatory.”

Families pay the price of ‘Emergency Service’

Kamalbee spoke emotionally about the impact on families, particularly women nurses.

“Despite personal struggles, family responsibilities, and childcare burdens, we continue to serve patients, lactating mothers, and newborns under neonatal care—often at the cost of our own children’s wellbeing,” she said, adding that their sacrifices have gone unrecognised.

No leave even during disasters

As emergency service providers, contract nurses are denied leave even during extreme crises.

“During Covid-19, cyclones, and other natural calamities, we were not given any leave. We are treated as machines, not as human beings,” Kamalbee stated, asserting that “by definition, there should be no contract system in emergency services.”

No recognition, even in death

Pointing to the absence of basic social security, Kamalbee said contract nurses receive no benefits even if they die while on duty. “If a contract staff nurse dies during service, there is no compensation or benefit for the family,” she said.

Speaking with deep anguish, she said that 15 contract staff nurses lost their lives while serving on the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic, underscoring the deadly risks they bore as emergency healthcare workers.

Ignored representations to political leadership

Kamalbee said the nurses have submitted representations to all 175 MLAs, multiple Health Ministers, and Chief Ministers of both previous and present governments, but their demands have been ignored.

“Nothing has happened so far. Our voices have been consistently silenced,” she remarked.

A question of dignity and recognition

Drawing a comparison with neighbouring Telangana, Kamalbee noted that the Revanth Reddy government has accorded the dignified title of ‘Nursing Officer’ to staff nurses.

“In Andhra Pradesh, the government has not even given us a dignified job title, despite it involving no financial burden,” she said.

A call for justice

Reiterating the collective demand, Kamalbee said the struggle is not just for regularisation, but for dignity, recognition, and humane working conditions.

“We are 8,000 nurses who have held up the public health system for 15 years. What we are asking for is justice,” she asserted.