Thiruvananthapuram: The nurses across private hospitals in Kerala, led by the United Nurses Association (UNA), are intensifying their strike, seeking salary revisions and better working conditions. Approximately 490 nurses from private hospitals are participating in the strike.

While emergency services remain operational, the absence of nurses from ward duties has severely disrupted hospital operations. The UNA has submitted 13 key demands, including raising the basic salary to ₹40,000, implementing recommendations of the Dr Balram and Jagadish Prasad Committees, and ending contractual appointments.

A complete strike has been reported in around ten private hospitals in the Kozhikode district on Monday. Reports have emerged that nurses at Baby Memorial Hospital were allegedly locked in a room by the management. According to reports, about 25 newly hired nurses were summoned under the pretext of training classes, forced to work, and allegedly threatened.

The hospital management has issued a notice directing striking nurses to vacate the hostel by 8 am on Tuesday. Nurses also claim the management threatened to close the hostel mess. In protest, they staged a protest in front of the Collectorate and the hospital.

Healthcare services throughout the Ernakulam district have faced significant strain, with major institutions like Lakeshore Hospital and Aster Medicity experiencing disruptions to routine patient care due to the ongoing strike.

Meanwhile, the UNA has reached agreements with five hospital managements in Thrissur distric, namely Sun, Amala, Mother, Daya, and West Fort. Under the agreement, nurses in hospitals with fewer than 300 beds will receive a salary hike of ₹8,000, while those in larger hospitals will see an increase of ₹12,000. However, strikes continue in other hospitals across the district.

Earlier, the strike was called off in Thiruvananthapuram district after the management accepted demands, including a minimum wage. However, nurses employed under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Alappuzha district continue to protest against pay discrimination.

NHM nurses argue that their basic salary remains at ₹20,500, even after private-sector salary hikes, and insist on ‘equal pay for equal work’, as per a Supreme Court directive.

The United Nurses Association has stated that the statewide strike will continue until all demands are fully met, signalling a prolonged standoff in Kerala’s healthcare sector.