National Health Mission employees, on Friday, extended their ongoing 72 hour strike by another 72 hours till Monday. Consequently, health services including the national tuberculosis elimination programme have taken a hit.
Musadiq Rafiq, core committee member of Jammu and Kashmir NHM Employees Association and president of J&K Tuberculosis Employees’ Association, said that the ongoing strike has been extended by another 72 hours till Monday.
“While the government calls us the backbone of the health system in J&K, no serious efforts have been made to meet our long pending demands,” he said. The agitating employees have been demanding job security, pay revision, retirement benefits and social security among other benefits.
The agitation was organised under the banner of the UT-level coordination committee of the J&K National Health Mission Employees Association (JKNHMEA). Employees of various categories, including doctors, paramedical and management staff, besides personnel working under NTEP and other NHM schemes, participated in the protests.
Rafiq regretted that despite holding talks with the health minister, no headway has been made. “The government keeps mouthing platitudes but doesn’t walk its talk,” he said. He said that the national tuberculosis elimination programme has also been hit by the ongoing strike.
{{/usCountry}}Rafiq regretted that despite holding talks with the health minister, no headway has been made. “The government keeps mouthing platitudes but doesn’t walk its talk,” he said. He said that the national tuberculosis elimination programme has also been hit by the ongoing strike.
{{/usCountry}}The NHM employees render their services in health sub-centres, primary health centres, community health centres, district hospitals and government medical colleges across the UT.