India, July 26 -- The Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA) has suspended its state-wide strike after receiving assurances from the state medical education department that full-time recruitment of nurses will begin from August through competitive exams.

The decision came after a meeting on Thursday with Dheeraj Kumar, secretary of the Department of Medical Education and Drugs, who assured union leaders that the contentious contractual hiring model was only a temporary measure to prevent disruptions in healthcare services.

"In the Nanded case, the Hon'ble Bombay High Court instructed the department to fill all hospital-related posts immediately. Accordingly, nurses recruitment rules have been updated," Kumar said.

He clarified tha...