Bengaluru: More than 29,000 contract employees of the health department went on strike on Thursday as a part of a nationwide stir planned by the National Health Mission’s (NHM) staff demanding pay-scales on par with permanent staff and secure employment.
Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali (KJC) and several other citizen groups extended their support to the stir and demanded that both the state and central government initiate a dialogue with the contract employees’ forum.
Vijaya Kumar, Co-convener of KJC said, “All the contract employees of the health department participated in today’s strike. ‘Health for all, a job for all’ is what they are demanding. They are being exploited and this is the new slavery system we can see throughout the country. A normal office employee gets Rs 14,000 per month whereas a contract lab technician gets Rs 12,000 per month.”
“There is no proper budget and no focus on the public health system due to which employees are suffering. 29,000 employees out of 30,000 have not gone to work and have supported the strike,” said Dr Vasu H.V., Contract employees union president. “There is no reason to remove contract workers, so we are demanding job security till the age of 60."
In view of the one-day strike of NHM contractual employees, the state health department issued directions to all DHOs (District Health Officers) and district level officers to relocate regular staff to needy hospitals. All medical officers and regular staff were directed to be in the headquarters and ensure that all hospitals function as usual.
Dr. Vasu also said that the commissioner and health secretary have promised to take up the issue with the government.
“We will wait and see, if the government takes action in the upcoming parliament and assembly sessions, otherwis we will organise a strike on a larger scale and also take up the issue in the upcoming 2019 elections,” he added.
