New Delhi: Health services at mohalla clinics, government dispensaries, vaccination centres and other facilities are set to be hit, with doctors and paramedics under National Health Mission (NHM) announcing a three-day strike from Wednesday to demand ‘equal pay for equal work’ and other benefits.
While a committee was formed by Delhi government last year to look into the matter, no headway has been made so far.
In a letter to CM Arvind Kejriwal, NHM Doctors Association (Delhi) said it will halt work on February 9, 10 and 11 in all districts to oppose the government’s “indifferent attitude”.
“We joined in 2007 and have been working on contract. When we are working in the same capacity as a regular doctor, then why are we being paid less? In Covid times, some states even gave incentives to their contractual employees. Why can’t the state’s funds be used for the same for us? When orders for leave cancellation and work related to Covid apply to both regular or contractual staffers, why is there disparity when it comes to benefits or leaves?” said Dr Alka Chaudhary, president of the body.
Chaudhary added they have been “fighting for their rights for years”. “The committee that was formed met only once. The files are just going around in circles,” she added.
Terming their demands “justified and valid”, Dr Neeta Agarwal, who works with a government dispensary in central Delhi, said, “People who joined in a regular capacity after us are drawing higher salaries while we are stuck. We work on a par with regular doctors but get half the salary. During the pandemic, leaves were cancelled but we can neither carry them forward or encash them, basically leaving us with nothing.”
Doctors will be joined in the stir by paramedics and administration staff. Raj Saini, chairman of NHM’s Contractual Employee Welfare Society, said, “NHM staffers have been demanding pay parity for a long time. Even after 15 to 16 years of service, the government has failed to take a policy decision in favour of NHM employees even though they have put in hard work, especially during the pandemic. The situation has forced us to decide to hold a token strike and raise our demands.”
A Delhi government official said, “A committee was formed and has given its report. A decision will be taken based it.”
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