Assam: NHM employees strike hits health services in Lakhimpur

North Lakhimpur: The Lakhimpur district unit of the National Health Mission (NHM) Employees Association began a three-day strike and sit-in protest from today in Assam's North Lakhimpur as part of its statewide agitation, asking for several demands.

The NHM employees' body 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 organized by the National Health Mission Employees Association and the All Assam Health and Technical Welfare Association, Lakhimpur, will continue till November 5.

The association leaders said they will continue the agitation unless the state government meets their long-pending demands.

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 demands include implement pay scale system for all types of employees working under National Health Mission, Assam and provide equal pay and equal rights for equal work with salary security as per the Pay Commission and the judgment of Supreme Court (Verdict No. 213 of 2013), provision of gratuity to the employees vide the Assam Gazette Notification 2021, provision for contributory/ Employees Provident Fund, provision of "Employee Pension Scheme" (UPS/NPS) for all NSM employees, full salary to the family relative till the end of the term of service or appointment of next of kin in NHM jobs according to merit, in case of death of an employee while on duty, provision for Leave Policy in the same manner as regular employees of the state government and Child Care Leave of two years for female employees, insurance coverage under MMLSAY scheme and medical reimbursement, arrangements to recruit NHM employees in regular posts of the state health department through special recruitment process and by creating new posts and formulation of a specific policy to prioritise NSM workers in the recruitment system of the state health department with age relaxation and additional evaluation in written and oral interviews

Senior medical and health officers, along with paramedical staff, addressed the NHM employees’ sit-in protest at the protest site.

All NHM employees, including nurses, attended today's protest programme.