Health workers call off protest as govt accepts demands

LAHORE

Punjab Health Department has accepted all demands of Allied Health professionals, Lady Health Workers and Dengue Programme workers as result of negotiations between health authorities and protesting field staff at the office of Punjab Health Services Director General on Thursday. 

Health Director General Dr Amjad Shahzad held negotiations with the leaders of protesting allied health personnel including Mutahida Action Committee (Allied Health Staff), President Mushtaq Ahmad Gujjar, Convener Naveed Malik, APCA (AHS) President Suleman Khan, Punjab Paramedics Alliance President Nazim-ud-Din Gujjar, Lady Health Workers Association President Nasreen Munawar and agreed to accept their demands following which minutes of the meeting were also issued duly signed by all stakeholders. 

According to the minutes of the meeting, “four-tier service structure of paramedical staff will be implemented by the EDO Health, Lahore, as per directives issued by the DGHS letter 2807-2876/AHP, dated. 22nd April, 2015. The suggestions for Lady Health Workers to be declared as civil servant is agreed upon subject to the condition that undertaking will be taken from all Lady Health Workers/Lady Health Supervisors and other employees of national programme regarding their willingness for application of the terms and conditions as civil servant. The LHW/LHS should be given permissible allowances with pay. 

The case of entomologists/all employees who are working dengue programme is proposed to be considered for regularisation. The Sunday leave of dengue employees should be permissible and if in emergency they are called for duty, they will be given leave on alternate day or extra allowance for over time. Earlier, the Health department’s field staff continued its protest and boycott of duties on sixth consecutive day, but following their negotiations and consequent assurance of acceptance of their demands, they called off their protest and thanked the DG for accepting their demands and police administration for providing security during their protest. They, however, warned that if health authorities transgressed from their commitment then they reserved the right to secure their rights. The protesting employees later celebrated their victory and distributed sweets.