The Public Health Ministry said yesterday that it would begin looking into the shortage of nursing staff throughout Thailand and try to give full-on jobs t 1700 nurses working on temporary contracts by next month.
Some 3,000 registered nurses staged a protest rally in front of the Government House on Tuesday demanding that Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri make good his promise to hire them as permanent employees and reduce their workload.
The nurses gave the government three months to give them an answer – otherwise the 17,000 temp nurses will quit and find work at private hospitals that pay better, the Nation reported.
Minister Witthaya made a promise about 4 months ago that he will hire 3600 registered nurses and give them permanent positions in hospitals under his ministry’s control before this fiscal year ends.
As permanent government employees, the nurses will be enjoying full state benefits and better salaries. The protesters threatened to lodge a complaint to the Parliament’s Nurse Affairs committee if Minister Witthaya does not deliver.
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