Mokokchung General Nursing & Midwiferyhostel in troubled waters

Ao student Conference (AKM) leaders under the aegis of president N. Akok Longkumer and colleagues visited General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) hostel situated at Mokokchung town and met with GNM student executive members and warden of the hostel to oversee the management and also to redress the problems of the hostel.

Warden and GNM executive members while interacting with AKM said students were facing acute accommodation problem with girl students occupying the boy’s hostel while the latter are lodged at two government quarters.

Altogether there are 110 students presently residing in the hostel. GNM student leaders also expressed about the deteriorating hostel building and voiced concern over their safety since one of the building was old and unstable without proper fence around the vicinity of the hostel.

They also conveyed about the need of two hostel wardens and night watchman while adding that according to the norms of Indian Nursing Council, there ought to be one warden per students on the ratio of 1:50.

The students also shared their dismay on the “unstable and late payment of stipends” and stated that unpaid stipend since last October was distributed only on the second week of September 2012.

GNM student leaders also shared their burden on the dearth of classrooms and regular nursing tutor for GNM students. They stated that the students needed at least four classrooms for smooth conduct of classes whereas at present there are only two rooms allotted.

On insufficient tutors, GNM student leaders also revealed that according to norms, ten regular nursing tutors were required to teach the students, but only six regular nursing tutors and four staff nurse and two nurses from NHRM were attached to assist the teaching faculty on temporary basis.