Dimapur, June 15 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) Legislature Party on Monday stressed on the need to amicably settle the impasse between the state government and the NHM Employees’ Association, Nagaland (Nean) at the earliest, citing the unprecedented crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic engulfing the state.
The National Health Mission (NHM) employees started indefinite “cease work” protest on June 13 after the state Cabinet decided to regularise the newly-recruited 27 medical officers, alleging that the National Health Mission (NHM) employees have been discriminated against.
“While the grievances of Nean is genuine and their cause deserves all out support, the ‘Cease Work’ called by the body and the subsequent absence of medical personnel from duties will have adverse effects on the general public who are already facing untold pain and sufferings today,” the press release from NPF Legislature Party read.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is not going away anytime soon and given the shortage of medical professionals working on the ground, the day-to-day functioning of hospitals and health centres including quarantine centres will be immensely affected,” it added.
Mentioning that the common people will suffer the most if the deadlock continues, the NPF Legislature Party said “it is essential for Nean to weigh the pros and cons thoroughly because at any given point of time, the welfare and wellbeing of the mass is most important”.
“The state Cabinet decision to regularise the post of 27 GDMOs appointed on contractual basis on May 27, 2020 for a period of 12 months on the excuse that there was shortage of manpower to contain the Covid-19 pandemic was haphazard and unsystematic. It failed to address the grievances of Nean while deciding on regularisation of contract appointees which has given birth to the present crisis and for which the state government must own complete responsibility,” the press release stated.
Stating that amicable settlement to the imbroglio is a prerequisite to tackling Covid-19 in the state, the NPF Legislature Party called upon both the state government and Nean to come to the negotiating table and hammer out a solution without further delay.