Assam: NHM workers' begin 3-day pen down protest, healthcare services affected

Healthcare services across Assam have been severely disrupted as the All Assam Health and Technical Workers Union, National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, commenced a three-day pen-down strike today. The industrial action, scheduled to continue until March 6th, has brought government hospitals to a virtual standstill, with significant impact observed at the Margherita FRU/Civil Hospital.

The strike, which also saw participation from employees of the Ketetong Block Primary Health Centre, including those from Jagun MPHC, Digboi FRU/Civil Hospital, Tirap Gate State Dispensary, Hasak MPHC, Ledo MPHC, Pengree MPHC, Kothalguri Model Hospital, and Inthem MPHC, has resulted in a reported participation of 110 staff members. Patients from remote areas visiting the Margherita FRU/Civil Hospital have faced considerable hardship due to the disruption in services.

Nihar Ranjan Chetia, President of the All Assam Health and Technical Workers Union, NHM Tinsukia District Committee, cited the Assam government's "lack of response and gross negligence" towards their long-standing demands as the primary reason for the strike. "Despite repeated submissions of memorandums to the Mission Director, National Health Mission, Assam, and the Government of Assam, our concerns have been consistently ignored," Chetia stated.

The union's core demands include:

Immediate regularization of services for all NHM technical employees through a special recruitment drive against existing and newly created vacancies, with a suspension of fresh recruitments until NHM employees are fully absorbed.

Implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations with pay fixation and immediate release of incremental arrear salaries effective from January 1, 2016.

Implementation of the Supreme Court verdict 213 of 2013, "equal pay for equal work," along with parity in gratuity, leave policy, pension scheme, death benefits, health insurance, and bank loan facilities with state government regular employees.

Chetia warned that if their demands are not met, the union will resort to an indefinite pen-down strike in the coming days, further escalating the healthcare crisis in the state.