NRHM employees begin indefinite cease-work

Health centres across the State would virtually be paralysed as employees’ association of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has decided to launch an “indefinite cease-work” with effect from August 21 in protest against non-release of salary for five consecutive months by the state government.
Decision to launch the stir was unanimously taken by all members including representatives from different districts after a meeting in Dimapur Wednesday. The employees argued that it has become impossible to function and carry forward the guidelines in all health centres in the state without salary.
The aggrieved members told media persons that they had last received salaries for the month of March and were not paid from April till July, which held them back from performing daily duties and making both ends meet.
On July 17 last, the members had submitted representation to the mission director highlighting the hardship faced by the employees due to non-payment of salary.
In the representation, the members complained over the discriminatory attitude of the authority in which National Rural Health Mission employees working in the directorate were paid salary till June while the remaining, posted in far flung and difficult areas, were denied of their monthly salary.
They had set a deadline of 10 days time to release the pending salary with a caution that they would be compelled to resort to democratic means of remedies to redress their grievances.
The members said the ultimatum was, however, kept in abeyance after the request from the directorate to wait for few weeks to process the files, which has not been responded to till date.
While upholding their responsibility to provide healthcare services, the members informed that the prevailing circumstances have compelled them to abstain from work. They have expressed regret to the public for the inconveniences and appealed to bear with them till the issue was settled.
Health centres across the State could be severely affected particularly in rural areas as most such health centres were manned by National Rural Health Mission employees.
NRHM being one national flagship project, the proposed cease-work by the employees could further have cascading effect on the state health department when brought to the notice of the central government.