The community health officers (CHOs) held a protest on Monday outside the Civil Surgeon’s office here to press for their long-pending demands. It was part of statewide demonstrations organised on a call by the Community Health Officers (CHO) Association Punjab and Novel Integrated Association of CHOs. Union leaders announced CHOs have suspended their work from Monday as part of the ongoing agitation. During the protest here, effigies representing the state government were on fire and slogans were raised against what protesters said was its continued neglect of the genuine issues faced by CHOs. The protesters decided a massive state-level protest will be organised near Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur on July 2. Addressing the media, Dr Balvir Singh, office-bearer of Community Health Officers Association Punjab, said they repeatedly met government officials and Health Department authorities over the past several years and submitted numerous representations regarding their demands. However, despite several rounds of discussions and assurances, the government had failed to resolve any of their major issues, he alleged. According to the leaders, the key demands include implementation of the principle of “equal work, equal pay” for employees under the National Health Mission (NHM), restoration of the loyalty bonus, withdrawal of newly introduced incentive proforma, sanctioning of the CHO cadre and posts, merger of incentive payments with basic salary, provision of non-practice allowance (NPA) for BAMS-qualified CHOs, restoration of hardship allowances, filling of vacant CHO posts and creation of adequate promotional avenues. The protesting CHOs submitted a memorandum addressed to the state government through the Civil Surgeon, and urged for immediate initiation of dialogue and resolution of their issues. The union leaders warned of intensified protests if the state government continued to ignore their demands.
