Health staff hold protest

Amritsar, October 18

Health employees under the banner of Punjab State Pharmacy Officers Association staged a dharna outside the Civil Surgeon’s office here on Wednesday to protest against the government move to transfer all regular employees from the newly-opened Aam Aadmi Clinics.

The employees stated that the government had earlier converted all primary health centres (PHC) and community health centres (CHC) in rural areas into Aam Aadmi clinics. They stated that with the earlier move, many employees were shifted to hospitals in city as they were termed surplus in rural areas after conversion of health institutions into Aam Aadmi Clinics.

The employees alleged that with the present move to transfer all regular employees so that new staff on contract basis can be employed to fill the posts, the rural areas would be without any regular employees. The employees alleged that the government is trying to entrust the public health sector to contractual employees.

The union leaders stated that agitation against the state government would be further intensified if the government did not roll back its decision.