MANDAR, India (UCAN) -- Labor problems have forced a 61-year-old Catholic hospital in eastern India to close its doors.

Holy Family Hospital in Jharkhand state shut its main gates on June 19 for the first time since the Medical Mission Sisters started it here to serve local tribal people. As of July 2, they remain closed. Mandar lies about 35 kilometers west of Ranchi, the state capital, which is 1,160 kilometers southeast of New Delhi.

Hospital authorities decided not to admit new patients following a strike by a group of non-medical staff, Sister Valeria Xalxo told UCA News. The hospital administrator also blamed the "hostile attitude" of government labor officials for the service suspension.

For now the 100-bed hospital is treating only patients who have already been admitted. Doctors, nurses and a section of other staff are not on strike, the nun clarified. On June 19, the hospital had 50 patients. "As they get well, we will discharge them," Sister Xalxo said.

The administrator added that the hospital had ensured that essential services such as electricity, water, maintenance, cleaning and food services were not affected. It also manages a school of nursing.

Sister Xalxo explained that a group of employees started creating problems in April, being absent from work and then coming back "at will." Eventually the administration had to remove some employees from the payroll, she said, because "it is not possible to manage the hospital smoothly with such staff."

Moreover, labor officials "unnecessarily" interfered in the hospital's work, she continued, so the nuns were "compelled" to suspend the services until further notice.

The tribal nun suspects "some powers behind the conspiracy" against the hospital. "They want to see this Catholic hospital closed forever. But their desire will not be fulfilled. We will see that normalcy comes soon," she asserted.

Sister Elizabeth Vadakkekara, the congregation's Indian head, told UCA News on June 23, "We want to end this problem soon." Her congregation takes the matter very seriously, she said. "We don't want poor people to suffer."

Sister Rowena Miranda, head of the congregation's North India province, which manages the hospital, said it decided to suspend services after "some of our own workers" created problems with the help of trade union leaders from outside.

Meanwhile, several people, including Hindus and Muslims, have expressed solidarity with the nuns. Many came to the hospital to inquire after hearing that it shut its gates.

"We don't know what is happening here, but there is surely something wrong going on," Imam Israel Khan told UCA News in front of the closed gates on June 19. "It will be very bad if it is closed down forever," the Muslim added.

The crisis began on April 21, when 47 paramedic workers staged a demonstration to seek a salary hike and other allowances. After some workers acted disruptively, as Sister Xalxo described, the hospital suspended two of them.

Ranchi archdiocese's vicar general, Father Ignace Topno, who is helping the nuns resolve the issue, told UCA News he tried to talk to the demonstrators but they wanted him to talk with their representatives, two union leaders from outside. The priest said he refused, because "the Church cannot allow outside union leaders to interfere in its internal matters."

The vicar general also said the hospital management considers its workers part of "one family" and pays them according to government norms.

Gidion Ekka, a protest leader, told UCA News they condemned the management's decision to suspend services. "This is an act to get public support," he said, pointing out that the matter is with labor officials. "We will accept whatever decision comes from the labor department," he added.

Father Paul Terence, an 80-year-old Belgian missioner who has worked in the area for decades, told UCA News he visits the hospital daily. "I know how important this hospital is for the poor. I pray and hope that this problem ends soon, and the hospital starts functioning normally," he said.

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