RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan.21: The health mechanism in the state is likely to get severely affected in days to come as after 13000 contractual paramedical staff, 42000 Sahiyas (health workers) are all set to proceed on indefinite period strike to press for their demand from January 23.
Sahiyas, who are considered to be the backbone of the Jharkhand government’s health department, are unhappy with the government’s ‘neglecting’ attitude towards their ‘genuine’ problem.
Jharkhand Pradesh Swasthya Sahiya Sangh secretary Maya Singh informed this to Lagatar 24.com saying a strike notice has been given to the chief minister and authorities of all districts across the state.
“We took the decision after a meeting in Jharkhand capital on Friday at Oxygen Park as we felt that assurance of the state health minister for fulfillment of our demand remained perfunctory at best as no step was taken from his side to sort out our problem and provide us our genuine demand,” Singh said.
“We get Rs two thousand only. No attention is given to payment of respectable amounts as an incentive though we have been working for the last 16 years and reach those places where regular government staff hardly reach. It has become difficult for us to run our families. We do not even get our incentive amount on time,” Singh said.
“A Sahiya plays an important role in the health system by ensuring safe motherhood and mother-child protection besides making vaccination campaigns and pulse polio campaigns successful. They also play their role in identification of leprosy and filariasis and patients. We also play our role for providing Dots medicine to patients, ANC for pregnant women, health services to cancer malnourished children,. The responsibility of conducting community health meetings, taking all the health schemes of the government to the doorsteps rests on our shoulders,” she said.
Health secretary Arun Kumar Singh could not be contacted for his comment on the issue. A health department official said the situation is being assessed and steps are being taken to convince the agitating contractual paramedical staff and Sahiyas to not take the extreme step like strike.
