LIVE TV
Odisha
Recommended Stories
Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik has written a letter to CM Naveen Patnaik requesting him to consider the 'genuine' demands of the health workers who were engaged in the Covid Care Homes (CCH) in the State, and now have been disengaged from the services.
The LoP urged Patnaik to reconsider the decision of the government and allow the Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) workers and other multi-purpose health workers engaged during Covid-peak period to continue so that they can battle the financial hardships.
In the letter, Pradipta Naik has drawn the attention of the Chief Minister towards the demands of these disengaged health workers and has asked to think over it again. The demands are as follows:
- Re-engagement of CCH Women Health Workers (ANM) as per guidelines of National Health Mission 2013 and Indian Public Health Standard 2012.
- To fill-up all the vacancies for ANM in PHCs, CHCs and DHHs of the State.
- To engage the ANMs for eradication of TB, Malaria, Pulse Polio and other awareness programmes.
- Engagement of ANM in Tribal Hostels/Urban Women Hostels etc.
- As recruitment for the post of ANM has not been done since last 10 years, age relaxation may be given to the candidates for the recruitment of ANM up to the age of 42 years and also preference may be given to the ANMs who worked during COVID-19.
- Since there are thousands of vacancies in the State which will be filled up in the near future, grace marks may be given to the candidates who have served people working as ANMs during the COVID period.
After the outbreak of the pandemic in the State, Naik reiterated, the Odisha government had engaged these health workers in every district who worked hard without fear of life.
The engagement was made at the remuneration of Rs 850 per day for a period of three months. However, before completion of three months, they have been disengaged despite the fact that the State has not been COVID-free till date.
Thousands of ANM posts are lying vacant in Odisha and the State is lagging behind in awareness of TB, Malaria and Polio which can be done by the ANM in the grassroots. Meanwhile, the State government in November issued a notification for engagement of nursing staff instead of re-engaging the ANM who have worked selflessly during COVID-19.
Even though 15000 ANM posts are lying vacant in the State, the government is silent about the grievances of CCH Health Workers Association's demand, Naik stated in the letter, requesting the CM to look into all these concerns.
WATCH | Two ANM Workers Attempt Self-Immolation In Bhubaneswar
