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Health dept to chargesheet ANMs for not uploading data on govt app
Department of health and family welfare, Punjab, has issued an order to chargesheet regular auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) or lady health visitors (LHVs) across
Department of health and family welfare, Punjab, has issued an order to chargesheet regular auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) or lady health visitors (LHVs) across the state who have not uploaded the mandatory data of non-communicable diseases (NCD) on the Government of India application.
There are around 1,800 ANM workers in the state, majority of whom have failed to upload the data.
In his order, health director has asked all civil surgeons of the state to chargesheet multipurpose health workers (females) of regular cadre who have not uploaded the data. The civil surgeons have also been directed to send a report regarding the chargesheeted workers within three days.
The multipurpose health workers were provided tablets for conducting a survey of non-communicable diseases and uploading the data in the government’s application. The workers protested the move saying the department was putting additional burden on them and stopped uploading the data two months ago.
On Tuesday, ANM workers from across the state gathered in Mohali to protest the department’s move to chargesheet them.
State president of the ANM and LHV workers union Jasbir Moonak said. “Uploading the data on application is not our duty. The department should get this done from computer operators who are hired under National Rural Health Mission. The department is increasing burden on us,” she said.
The community health officers are getting ₹750 per month as an incentive for just signing the report under this programme, whereas the workers who are in the field for the survey are not getting anything, not even for uploading the data, she added.
District president of the union Raman Kumari said a majority of the workers are nearing their retirement age and to put additional burden on them was not justified. “We are preparing daily reports on papers, but are not uploading the same,” she said.
Ludhiana civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said he has received the department orders. “We are preparing the list of workers who are not uploading the data and chargesheet will be issued as ordered by the director health,” he said.
