Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 7: As Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of employees of NHM, including RNTCP, NACO & other schemes yesterday extended their strike for another 144 hours; in order to ensure patient care in district and other hospitals, Mission Director, NHM, J&K has asked Controlling Officers (COs) of all health centres to submit the attendance of NHM staff of their health facilities on daily basis in his office for further submission to Administrative Department.
Like every morning, hundreds of NHM employees demanding regularization of their services assembled today on 19th day of their strike near Press Club Jammu and raised slogans against the false promises made by the Government for framing a job policy for them.
“Since the launch of NHM Scheme in J&K in 2006, the State Government has failed to frame out a draft policy of regularization for NHM Employees whereas only verbal assurances were made in favour of them time and again”, the protesting employees said.
The spokesman of the Joint Employees Coordination Committee, Abdul Rauoof, said that Government failed to resolve their demands despite two meetings held between Health Minister, Bali Bhagat and representatives of the association. He also flayed the authorities for threatening the protesting employees of action.
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“The employees working under the ambit of NHM have given their life to the department but the careless attitude of Government has disappointed the employees. We have made primary health services No 1 throughout the country and our ministers are receiving awards for that, and in return they offer 1% of hike in our salary which acts as throwing salt on wounds. We categorically reject such offers from the Government”, he added.
He said, “we stand firm on our demand of regularization and other social security benefits. Unless and until the Government will not put forward a complete roadmap in front of us we will not call off our strike”.
Meanwhile, in order to ensure patient healthcare in District Hospital, CHCs, PHCs and Sub Centres of the State, Mission Director, NHM, in a communique to Chief Medical Officer (Vice Chairman, District Health Society), all districts, has asked to issue instructions to all the Controlling Officers of various health facilities under their control to submit the attendance of NHM staff including medical officers, paramedics and Programme Management Units working at these health facilities on daily basis for further submission to the Administrative Department.
Further in the interest of patient care and in view of the present Assembly Session/ensuing Pulse Polio program, Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar, in a circular issued, has asked all the NHM employees working under his administrative control to hand-over the keys of their centres/offices to their respective medical officers/In-charge of the centers immediately. Non-compliance shall be viewed seriously, the circular reads.
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