Lilavati Hospital patients left unattended in MNS v/s Shiv Sena nurses’ catfight

Political rivalry of unions spills onto corridor of Bandra hospital over suspension of nurse; patients hit as staff on strike. A catfight among nurses on hospital premises is some distraction for tense relatives of ailing patients.

Precisely what people at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra witnessed on Friday afternoon as two rival groups of nurses got into, yanking one another’s pink uniforms, grabbing each other by the tresses, the hollering and screams of abuses rending the air. What started as a verbal fight, soon came to fisticuffs, subsequently snowballing into a free-for-all.

The drama began as a wordy duel between nurses affiliated to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) union and those of its rival Shiv Sena union. Four nurses of the MNS group sustained injuries in the melée.

The two factions of nurses have been at loggerheads over the suspension of a nurse. Of the more than 600 nurses at the hospital, at least 400 are from the MNS union, the rest being Shiv Sena loyalists.

Over 400 nurses struck work, spilling out on the streets. Except for the intensive care, all departments were badly hit.

Unable to rein in the belligerence, the authorities summoned police help. The nurses’ strike was on till the time of going to press last evening. There was more in store at Bandra Police Station as each group lodged a complaint against the other. The police kept the two groups away from mauling one another. The groups were latched into cabins of two officers.

Last week, a nurse from the MNS union, Megha Shivkar, was suspended. Mumbai Mirror had reported the suspension of Shivkar who refused to escort a cancer patient to Tata Hospital in an ambulance. The patient is the daughter of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s personal assistant, Ravi Mhatre

Following this, about 400 nurses attached to the MNS union went on strike. The suspension was revoked and reinstated. This gave way to the enmity between the two factions.

“On Friday afternoon, we were waiting to meet the hospital authorities about our colleague’s suspension when nurses from the rival group abused and assaulted us. “The suspension is taking on a political hue.,” said Simran Phansekar, a staff nurse. “They tore my clothes and slapped me and my colleagues.”

Another nurse Sneha Sawant, who sustained injuries to her abdomen and leg, was taken to Bhabha Hospital and later admitted to Lilavati.

Nurse Mansi Survekar said that despite political differences, “we never discriminate among patients”.

What unions say

Gajanan Rane, union leader of MNS nurses’ association, said, “Since three days, a mob has been threatening our nurses. One of the nurses has been suspended. This is unfair.”

Suryakant Mhadik, leader of Shiv Sena nurses’ union, said, “No nurse can refuse help to patients. Despite suspension, MNS union nurses pressured the management to reinstate her. On Friday, our nurses were beaten up by the other group of nurses.

“We have taken down a case of rioting against both parties as both were equally involved in creating a ruckus outside the hospital and at the police station,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (west region) Vishwas Nangre-Patil.

Repeated attempts to contact Lilavati Hospital authorities yielded no response. Neither Chief Executive Officer Dr Narendra Trivedi nor spokesperson Dr Sudhir Dagaonkar’s was contactable over cellphone.