Kulgam, Sept 12: Political activist Zulfkar Razatullah Hussain on Saturday joined the protesting National Health Mission (NHM) employees in Kulgam and extended his support to their long-pending demands, including the formulation of a regularisation policy.
Speaking to the reporters on the sideline of the proteste, Hussain said that NHM workers have been rendering their services since 2005 and have played an important role in strengthening the healthcare system, particularly at the grassroots level.
He said the NHM workforce comprises highly qualified professionals, including people holding MBBS, MSc and BSc degrees, and stressed that their services cannot be viewed as an unskilled or informal profession.
“These employees have been working since 2005. They have qualifications such as MBBS, MSc and BSc, and they have dedicated years of their lives to serving the people. They are an important backbone of the health department,” Hussain said.
He called upon the government to seriously consider the demands of NHM employees and formulate a comprehensive policy for the regularisation of eligible workers.
Hussain also highlighted the financial difficulties being faced by NHM employees in view of the rising cost of living and inflation.
“I don’t think an NHM employee can comfortably educate his two children on the present salary, when inflation is rising day by day. The government must understand the difficulties being faced by these employees and their families,” he said.
He said the government should not delay a decision on the issue, particularly when healthcare services are dependent on the workforce that NHM employees provide.
“This is a department which the people require. If the government ignores the genuine pleas of NHM employees, I believe it is not only injustice to the employees but also to the people who depend upon the health system,” Hussain said.
He urged the administration and the government to initiate a dialogue with the protesting employees and address their concerns through a concrete policy mechanism.
Hussain further warned that he would escalate his support if the demands remain unaddressed.
“If the demands of NHM employees are not fulfilled and the government continues to ignore their genuine concerns, I will go on a hunger strike in their support,” he said.
The protesters have been seeking government intervention on their long-standing issues and urged the authorities to take concrete steps towards providing job security and a sustainable future for eligible NHM employees.
