Regularise services of health workers, say medical bodies

HYDERABAD: Members of 24 medical and health associations, who have formed ‘Ikya Vedika’ called on the government to meet their demand of regularisation of services for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) and National Health Service workers or to grant a 100 per cent gross salary to ensure fair compensation. They also demanded implementation of the conversion round for service seats in PG counselling, hike in travel compensation to doctors working in the rural areas as well mobility facilities.

Dr M. Sridhar, member secretary of Ikya Vedika and president of Doctors Association, Adilabad, said, “There are nearly 20,000 contractual employees. The Chief Minister had promised regularisation of their contracts but this has not been fulfilled. We demand that the government fulfills the assurance given since 2014.”

ANM workers said they were being denied the benefits given to permanent employees. R. Sujata from the Bheempur PHC in Adilabad said that she had been working as a second cadre ANM since 2009 for 14 years. “I have no benefits that the regular ANM gets,” she said adding that both had the same qualification and responsibilities.