NHM employees’ strike enters third day across Assam, health services hit
Protesting NHM employees demand equal pay, financial security, and implementation of service benefits on par with government staff.
Protesting NHM employees
Dergaon, Nov 5: In response to the call by the All Assam Health and Technical Welfare Association (AAHTWA) and National Health Mission Employees' Association (NEA), the protests organised by the National Health Mission (NHM) employees across Assam have entered the third day today.
As part of this programme, a protest was carried out at the courtyard of the Joint Director of Health Services' office in Golaghat. All the health workers working under the NHM from each health sector of the district participated in the strike.
They demanded implementation of the pay scale system for all types of employees working under the NHM, Assam, ensuring financial security and to provide equal pay and equal rights according to the Pay Commission and the verdict of the Supreme Court (Verdict No. 213 of 2013).
Furthermore, they requested that the provisions of the Assam Gazette Notification, 2021, No: HLA. 409/2020/Pt /55, be fully implemented so that the NHM employees receive gratuity, pension, death benefits, etc., on par with regular government employees.
North Lakhimpur Correspondent adds: Health services across Lakhimpur district have been badly hit as the three-day statewide strike by the NHM employees entered its second day today. The Lakhimpur district unit of NHM Employees Association has been on a three-day strike and sit-in protest from Monday in North Lakhimpur, asking for several demands. Like on the first day of its agitation, the NHM employees held a demonstration and a sit-in protest in front of the office of the Joint Director of Health Services in North Lakhimpur today demanding equal pay for equal work, gratuity benefits similar to regular employees, and implementation of the Provident Fund schemes.
The protest, jointly organised by the National Health Mission Employees Association and the All Assam Health and Technical Welfare Association, Lakhimpur, will continue till November 5.
The leaders of the associations said the agitation will persist if their long-pending demands are not met by the State government. They urged the authorities to address the issues immediately and ensure fair treatment, financial security, and parity in benefits for all NHM employees of the state.
The NHM employees' sit-in protest was addressed by senior medical and health officers, paramedical staff at the protest site. All NHM employees, including nurses attended today's protest programme.
The striking employees of NHM have been staying away from their daily normal duties except for the emergency services in the district, thus affecting the healthcare services to a greater extant.
Mangaldai Correspondent adds: Nearly 800 employees serving under the NHM in Darrang district joined the three-day state-wide agitation from Monday in support of their charter of demands.
Members of the two employees' associations of the district wearing black badges staged a sit-in demonstration here in front of the office of the Joint Director of Health Services, Darrang while boycotting their official duties in protest of the failure of the State government in addressing their grievances despite several prayers and discussions with the competent authorities.
The leaders of the district units of the employees' bodies including president of NEAA, Darrang Himangshu Baruah, secretary Upen Deka, president of AAHTWA, NHM, Dar-rang Dr Ajimuddin Ahmed, secretary Bhaskarjyoti Kalita and others spoke on the occasion. They urged upon the government for early resolve of their five demands which included execution of the Apex Court verdict for equal pay for equal work benefits.