A year after the Nipah virus outbreak, the sanitary workers on contract in the Kozhikode Medical College have started a hunger strike, seeking permanent jobs. Risking their lives, they worked in the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, Kerala for 24 hours. They were the only ones who were cleaning and carrying out water management in the hospital. They were also called as Nipah heroes. 
The Nipah virus had taken away 18 lives in Kozhikode.  Nipah virus had sent Keralites into a panic situation for a few months.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government had promised the hospital contract workers a permanent job in the medical college for their determination to their work. However, the promise of the state government is still in the papers. Moreover, these staffs were removed from their work and they had to protest on the streets for justice.