Associations welcome creation of new posts

The announcement to create new posts in the State’s health sector marks an important step towards addressing a long-standing demand of government doctors and nurses, with their associations welcoming the decision.On Monday, as a part of the announcements for the health department, Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said in the Assembly that 2,500 new nursing posts would be created in the first phase in response to a long-pending demand of contractual nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB). A total of 284 temporary super speciality posts, 3,594 posts, including that of pharmacists, nursing assistants, and village health nurses, and 1,695 posts of nurses on consolidated pay would be created.In a statement, the Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association welcomed the announcement to create 2,500 permanent nursing posts for which nurses recruited through MRB and are on consolidated pay for several years would be absorbed. They noted this was a long-standing demand of their association for which they have been conducting continuous protests for several years.Nurses who were selected through the MRB were initially given appointment orders stating that they would be made permanent after working for two years on a consolidated-pay basis. However, many of them continued to work for up to nine years without permanent status and on low pay, they said.In a statement, the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) thanked the Chief Minister, Health Minister, and health officials for highlighting their long-standing demand for investment in human resources by creating posts, including that of doctors and staff nurses and upgradation of peripheral rural medical colleges and hospitals in the health budget announcements.SDPGA has been demanding an increase in manpower in all cadre across doctors, nurses, and paramedics. They welcomed the announcement to create 284 super speciality posts which would encourage service candidates to pursue DM/MCh courses. It also welcomed announcements on geriatric, oncology, and infertility services in all districts, it said. Published - August 19, 2026 05:30 am IST