Over 500 TB elimination program workers in Assam threaten strike

Guwahati: Over 500 contract employees working tirelessly to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in Assam are preparing to strike in May.

They are demanding better working conditions, including job security, increased pay, and access to government benefits.

The All Assam Tuberculosis Elimination Programme Contract Employees' Union represents these workers.

The union claims that over 500 employees have dedicated 26 years to fighting TB in Assam, all while facing job insecurity.

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They allege that former Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, now the Chief Minister, promised to regularize their positions during his tenure under the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government.

The union further highlighted a pay disparity between Assam's TB elimination contract workers and their counterparts in other states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Additionally, they point out that some states, like Manipur and Sikkim, have already regularized their TB elimination program employees, the union said.

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The fight against TB has taken a personal toll on these workers. The union reports that at least ten employees have died from TB exposure, while others have contracted the disease themselves.

They added that the current compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of an employee who dies in the line of duty is insufficient.

They deserve job security and access to government benefits, which would provide them and their families with financial stability and peace of mind.

It's important to note that the program began in Assam in 1998 under the RNTCP banner.

It now operates under the NTEP name. This nationwide program is overseen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that "aims to make India TB-free by 2025".