Chandigarh: NHM employees’ protest for pay hike enters Day 3

OPD services and vaccination drive in Chandigarh were hit due to the protest of National Health Mission employees who are demanding a hike in pay

Employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Chandigarh continued their protest for the third consecutive day on Wednesday to press for their demand of equal pay for equal work.

Employees of National Health Mission, Chandigarh, during a protest march on Wednesday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

The protesters said that the government has set the monthly salary of a security guard at ₹19,000, but an ANM worker gets only ₹10,000, even when they have worked selflessly amid the pandemic.

Over 300 NHM employees marched from Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, to Matka Chowk in Sector 17. Meanwhile, due to non-availability of auxiliary nurse midwives, the non-Covid immunisation drive for children was affected at government health and wellness centres, especially in rural areas. Besides, general out-patient department services and Covid vaccination drive were also hit.

NHM employees working under the UT health department as paramedical staff and managerial employees include nursing and pharmacy officers, ANMs, lab technicians, dental technicians and other Class-4 staffers.

Amit Kumar, general secretary, NHM Union, said they met Dr Amandeep Kang, director health services, Chandigarh, on Wednesday, and she had assured them her support.

“She said that the Chandigarh Administration will write to the central government to revise the pay scale. However, we will not end the protest until our demands are met,” said Kumar.