Amidst crisis, healthcare workers under NHM sit on 24-hours-strike, demand regularisation 

The healthcare workers employed under the National Health Mission Assam are on a 24-hour-strike. In healthcare centres across Barak Valley, the workers have exempted themselves from work. They have alleged the health department of ignoring their plights.

The spokesperson of NHM Barak Valley said that on August 3, 2020, they submitted an appeal before the Health Minister of Assam through the deputy commissioner. “In that, we had requested the MoHFW to look into the matter in the next 15 days or else we will call for a strike. They did not pay any attention to our appeal and that is why in each and every healthcare centre in Barak Valley wherever NHM workers are deployed, we are following a 24-hour-strike,” said the spokesperson.

He questioned the government seriousness towards the healthcare workers, “The education minister is also the health minister. If he could regularise the contractual teachers why can’t he regularise the healthcare workers? We were promised before the 2016 election, that if BJP is voted to victory they will regularise the healthcare employees. However, it has not happened yet,” the spokesperson added.

The NHM workers have tabled their demands several times, “Like it has been done with the contractual teachers in Assam, we want regularisation on the basis of seniority. And those who cannot be regularised at this moment needs to be recognised and reimbursed exactly how it is done in the case of a permanent government employee,” said the spokesperson.

Urging the Government to implement equal pay for equal work, the spokesperson reminded about the absorption of 8,195 contractual NHM employees in Odisha. “During the pandemic, the NHM healthcare workers, especially technicians are braving their lives to do the risky duties vested on them. In return, they only get verbal appreciations, not monetary benefit, no insurance, no rewards. If something happens to any one of us, what will happen to our family members?” the spokesperson questioned.