News Analysis |
Hundreds of lady health workers continued their sit-in at Lahore’s Mall Road on Tuesday, the 28th of March, entering into the second day of their sit in to register their protest against service structure and non-payment of dues.
In a shocking incident, one of the protesting women was shifted to hospital a day before after her condition worsened. Health workers’ spokesperson says that the woman died afterwards however; the administration is trying to conceal the news, she alleged. Another woman fell unconscious as she was staging sit-in in severely hot weather.
“The government had promised us in 2012 to pay our dues. We’re still waiting for the compensation”, one of the workers told GVS.
As many as 300 different demonstrations have taken place in Lahore since January 2017. In most cases, the protests were against the privatization of public-sector medical institutes.
The commuters are also undergoing severe difficulties due to the protest as the roads have been blocked causing traffic jam at various areas. Due to blockade of the Mall Road, the traffic got disrupted on Davis Road, Edgerton Road, Jail Road, Mughalpura, Garhi Shahu, Governor House, Dharam Pura, Lawrence Road and Canal Road.
The traffic jam had expanded to Moulana Zafar Ali Road, Garden Town, Jinnah Hospital, Muslim Town, Barkat Market and other areas due to disruption on Canal Road. The protesters have demanded provision of service structure, up gradation over scale experience, and payment of arrears. The lady health workers have vowed to continue protest till acceptance of their demands.
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Last month, More than 1,500 nutritionists working at basic health units (BHU) across Punjab gathered outside the provincial assembly on Friday the 16th of February, demanding the government grant them permanent employee status.
The employees said that they would boycott the forthcoming polio campaign, especially in the remote areas, if their demands were not met. The drive to vaccinate against the crippling polio disease took place in the following week. According to the data shared by the former office bearer at Young Doctors Association and activist of trade union workers called Red Workers Front Dr Aftab Ashraf to a local publication, the protesting health workers have been bringing the provincial capital to a standstill since last year.
Hundreds of lady health workers continued their sit-in at Lahore’s Mall Road on Tuesday, the 28th of March, entering into the second day of their sit in to register their protest against service structure and non-payment of dues.
Also earlier this month, The Lady Health Workers staged a protest demonstration in favour of their demands in the remote city of Bhakkar. The protesters demanded the government to pay their salaries and issue pay scale service structure to them. They gathered at Fawwara Chowk and shouted slogans in favour of their demands. A massive traffic jam was witnessed on major roads while commuters were stuck in gridlock for hours.
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The LHWs said that even after the passage of six years, their dues had not been paid. They said the government had failed to fulfill its promises and deprived them of their due rights. Meanwhile, Health Department CEO Dr Suleman said that salaries of the entire department had not been released and soon the payments will be made
As many as 300 different demonstrations have taken place in Lahore since January 2017. In most cases, the protests were against the privatization of public-sector medical institutes.