On Monday thousands of contract health workers of Madhya Pradesh went on indefinite strike called by the National Health Mission (NHM) Employees Union. Over 32,000 contractual employees of NHM along with their families and children protested State-wide demanding regularisations of jobs. For the last 20 days protesters are on strike which hit the vaccination, distribution of medicines, testings, medical support services across the State from primary health centre (PHCs) to hospitals. Protestors have demanded that the outsource contract practice should be abolished by removing it from the National Health Mission. The support staff employees should be merged again in the National Health Mission or adjustments should be made on the vacant posts in the department. Expelled employees should be taken back hundred percent.

Contract employees of National Health Mission should be regularised on vacant posts in the department. For other employees, the policy passed by the General Administration Department on June 5, 2018, should be implemented immediately at ninety percent pay scale equivalent to regular employees. CHO cadre should be regularised under MLHP. The employees on whom police cases have been registered during the indefinite strike from December 5 to January 3 should be taken back immediately. Meena Shukla, State President of Madhya Pradesh Community Health Officers Association, said that the protesters will continue with their strike untill all the demands are met. “We want Government to fulfill our demands and regularise our jobs:”, she said.