Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Oct 1: With over a thousand healthcare workers engaged under Emergency COVID Response Package (ECRP) in various hospitals across J&K, the Government has disengaged such workers due to lack of funds under the package as well as the apparent improvement in the COVID situation in the Union Territory.
In this regard, while several disengagement orders have already been issued, the latest disengagement order in this regard has been issued here by the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar stating the disengagement of such workers.
The disengagement process has been started by the hospital as well as the GMCs across J&K as it has been learned that the Ministry of Health has not so far sanctioned any further funds under ECRP for the continuation of services under the package for the mitigation of the pandemic.
The staff was engaged for various posts in 2020 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and after due approval of the National Health Mission, J&K. Keeping in view the COVID pandemic, they were engaged initially for a period of 6 months and the same was then extended.
Officials said that as the Government has not sanctioned any further funds under the ECRP, “the same is indicative of the fact that there is no need for such manpower engaged across the hospitals in J&K keeping in view of the improved COVID situation.”
The officials also said that the improvement in the overall COVID situation in J&K can also be the reason that the Government did not sanction any further funds for the package in order to keep it operational.
Manpower, in this regard, was engaged as Lab Technicians, Research Scientists, Junior Grade Nurses (scheme-b), and anaesthesia technicians along with several other posts.
In this regard, in an order issued here by the GMC, Srinagar it was stated that some of the persons engaged under the package “have already left these engagements while some were still continuing in this institutions and its associated hospitals”
“…the Mission Director NHM, J&K…has intimidated that the Ministry of Health Welfare, Govt of Indi has not sanctioned any further funds under the ECRP…for the continuation of the service for COVID-19 mitigation proposes beyond 30th September 2021,” the GMC stated.
The GMC said that the persons engaged under the package at the institution along with its associated hospital, “shall deem themselves to have been relieved from this institution w.e.f 30th September 2021.”
Interestingly, there have been several such workers working across J&K hospitals well as GMC, Srinagar whose term ended before September but were still performing their duties, in this regard, the GMC has clarified that such persons shall deem that their contract was extended up to September 30, “provided their controlling officers furnish a categoric certificate to the effect that they were performing duties up to September 30, 2021.”
However, the contractual manpower has expressed displeasure over the sudden move and said that the COVID is far from over and the Government should have continued with the ECRP for some more time. “We were making our ends meet while we worked for the COVID management and mitigation at several hospitals, the package should have been continued for some more time,” the candidates said.
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