Our Reporter
Dimapur, June 14 (EMN): As more than 1,400 employees of National Health Mission (NHM) in Nagaland began their indefinite strike on Sunday, the department of Health and Family Welfare has requested the protesters to call off their stir “in the interest of public service”.
In response to the Nagaland Cabinet’s decision to regularise the newly-recruited 27 medical officers, the NHM Employees’ Association of Nagaland (Nean) had, on June 13, announced an indefinite ‘cease work’ across the state, starting June 14.
On Sunday, the mission director of NHM wrote a letter to Nean. “We are all aware that there is shortage of manpower in the department to combat with the current pandemic situation and we acknowledge the services rendered by the NHM employees not only at this period of time but also in the past.
“Whereas, the department is willing to give impartial hearing to the demands of the NHM employees and urges them to come forward for open discussion for redressal of the grievances, the unprecedented step to go on indefinite cease-work w.e.f., June 14, 2020 without even giving the department any prior notice or call for redressal is regretful. However, I would like to convey that the department has already initiated steps to address the issue and has even invited your team for discussion on the matter today itself, which unfortunately could not materialise due to unresponsiveness from your end,” it read.
Citing the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the state, and the need to contain the pandemic, the director requested the association to end the protest.
An executive member of Nean told Eastern Mirror that they were waiting for ‘a positive and befitting response in an official manner’ but the department tried to solve it verbally (via telephone) ‘which is not official’.
“The healthcare system will feel the pinch without NHM workers, but the cease of work still stand indefinitely unless a positive response is given,” said the member.
Instead of solving and finding a solution, the director has sent a threatening notice to certain NHM workers, added the member.
Department order
In an order issued on Sunday, the principal director of Health and Family Welfare, has directed all chief medical officers and superintendents to ensure all NHM employees attend to their duties “failing which necessary disciplinary action will be initiated”.
It further stated that any GNM and ANM who fail to perform their duties from June 15 will be forfeited from the queue system/batch-wise appointment into regular post.
The official directed the district authority to submit the list of employees failing to report for duty by 1 pm on June 15.