Patient attendants stage dharna outside Tripura Medical College (TMC) demanding restoration of work rights after an alleged verbal ban without written orders, citing financial hardship, lack of transparency, and threats to livelihoods at the state-run hospital.
Members of the Patient Attendants’ Association on Thursday staged a dharna protest in front of Tripura Medical College (TMC) and Dr BRAM Teaching Hospital at Hapania, demanding the immediate restoration of their right to work. The protest highlighted growing concerns over job insecurity and alleged administrative arbitrariness at one of the state’s premier healthcare institutions.
According to the protesting attendants, nearly two months ago they were verbally instructed not to report for duty at the hospital. The instruction, they claimed, was issued without any written order, official notice, or explanation. Complying with the directive out of fear of disciplinary consequences, the attendants stopped working, which has since plunged many of their families into severe financial distress.
Speaking to media persons during the protest, one senior attendant said she had been serving patients at Tripura Medical College for more than 22 years. Her responsibilities included assisting admitted patients with feeding, bathing, and maintaining basic hygiene, especially those who were critically ill, elderly, or physically disabled. She emphasized that patient attendants play a crucial supportive role in hospital care, often filling gaps that overstretched nursing staff cannot always cover.
The attendants explained that their livelihood depended entirely on payments received from patients’ families for caregiving services. With the sudden oral ban on their work, they have been left without any alternative source of income. Many of them are the sole earning members of their households and are now struggling to meet basic expenses, including food, rent, and education costs for their children.
The protesters alleged that the absence of a written order has made the situation even more distressing, as it leaves them without any official document to challenge through legal or administrative channels. They questioned the transparency of the hospital administration and demanded clarity on who issued the verbal instruction that effectively barred them from duty.
Despite repeated attempts, the attendants said they have not received any formal communication from hospital authorities regarding the reasons for their removal or the duration of the restriction. They demanded immediate permission to resume their duties and called for a clear, written policy governing the role and employment status of patient attendants at TMC.
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The protesting members warned that if their demands are not addressed soon, they will intensify their agitation in the coming days. This could include larger demonstrations and appeals to higher authorities in the state health department.
As of the time of filing this report, hospital authorities had not issued an official statement on the matter, and it remains unclear who authorized the verbal instruction that triggered the protest.
