Medical staff working under the National Health Mission (NHM) has launched a 72-hour strike outside the Sub-District Hospital in Gandoh, reported the ANI.
The protest was triggered by allegations that the state government had deducted the equivalent of 2.5 days’ salary from their monthly pay.
Holding placards and voicing their demands, the healthcare workers expressed anger over what they described as an abrupt and unfair financial deduction. They stated that the 2.5 days’ pay had traditionally been granted as compensation for overtime work.
Protesters explained that the additional pay covered duties performed on Sundays, gazetted holidays, and night shifts.
“This protest is for the salary of 2.5 days. We used to receive this amount because we worked during holidays and nights,” said one demonstrator.
Allegations of pay disparity
Some staff members also highlighted disparities within the system, claiming that regular employees continue to receive such benefits while NHM workers do not.
The agitation was organised following a formal notice issued by the Medical Employees Federation of Jammu and Kashmir, which called for the protest to press for the workers’ demands.
Role of NHM in public healthcare
NHM staff play a crucial role in delivering healthcare services, particularly to underserved and rural populations. The programme provides financial and technical support to states and Union Territories to ensure accessible, affordable, and accountable healthcare up to the district hospital level.
The mission is designed to strengthen rural healthcare systems by improving infrastructure, increasing human resources, and enhancing service delivery. It also promotes decentralised planning to enable need-based interventions and better utilisation of resources.
Protesters say
“This protest is for the salary of 2.5 days. We used to get the salary for 2.5 days because we did our duty on Sundays, gazetted holidays, and nights,” explained one of the protesters, as per the ANI.
Another protester claimed that there was a pay disparity in the administrative hierarchy, stating, “Our regular staff`s salary for 2.5 days should be released… Why are we from NHM not getting equal salary? I request the state government to increase our salary or make us regular,” the news agency reported.
(with ANI inputs)