Assn opposes shifting of regular employees from mohalla clinics

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Amritsar, June 15

The Health Employees’ Association has criticised the government’s move to shift all regular employees from primary health centres (PHC) in rural areas and urban primary health centres (UPHC) to civil hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and Community Health Centres (CHCs). The PHCs and UPHCs had been recently revamped as Aam Aadmi Clinics/mohalla clinics by the AAP-led government in the state.

The association claimed that doctors appointed at the PHCs and UPHCs have already been asked about the hospitals where they would like to be shifted.

Shamsher Singh Kohri, a leader of the association, said: “The government has also started appointing contractual employees at the new Aam Aadmi Clinics, who would be paid very less compared to the regular employees.” He added that in 2006 as well, the government had given the charge of rural dispensaries to Zila Parishads and after shifting the regular staff, contractual employees were hired for these dispensaries.

Association president Ashok Sharma said: “The contractual employees would be hired at low salaries and in this way, the government is compromising with the public health services to reduce its salary bill.” He added that that contractual employees hired by Zila Parishads are still struggling for the regularisation of their services.

The union demanded that instead of managing the shortage of employees by recruiting contractual staff, the government should make regular appointments.