J&K BJP Health Cell co-convener Dr Varinder Sharma has batted for the long-pending genuine demands of National Health Mission (NHM) employees, urging the UT government to resolve the matter on compassionate grounds without further delay.
Dr Sharma stressed that NHM employees have been rendering invaluable healthcare services shoulder to shoulder with government-appointed regular doctors and paramedical staff since 2005.
Despite their meagre salaries, he said, they remain the backbone of the immunisation campaigns and continue to provide crucial support to rural and urban healthcare across Jammu and Kashmir. He observed that despite repeated assurances in the past, nothing tangible has been delivered to NHM employees till date.
“No pay parity, no timely hike, no social security — this is simply not acceptable,” Dr Sharma said, adding that the workforce has been left in a state of uncertainty for far too long.
The BJP leader further pointed out that the central government was willing to extend financial assistance, but it was incumbent upon the UT government to present a well-prepared case before it.
He cautioned against any threats of administrative action against the striking employees, saying such an approach would only deepen the standoff and disrupt healthcare services further.
Dr Sharma maintained that the need of the hour was to look into these genuine demands with compassion and resolve them in a phased, time-bound manner.
He noted that NHM employees are well-qualified healthcare staff, not ordinary daily wagers, and therefore a dignified life and service conditions are their legitimate right.
Dr Varinder appealed to the UT government to initiate early talks with the striking employees and work towards an early and amicable resolution, so that healthcare services in the region are not compromised any further and NHM employees get their genuine long pending due share of emoluments.
