Soni cancels Ropar visit to avoid NHM protesters

Ropar, December 1

Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni had to cancel his visit to the local Civil Hospital after a large number of National Health Mission (NHM) workers announced a protest against him today.

Soni, who is also holding the portfolio of health, was scheduled to inaugurate ‘Universal Newborn Hearing Screening’ (UNHS) with SOHUM Automated Auditory Brainstem Response Device at the district hospital.

In his absence, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Sonali Giri along with Health and Family Welfare Department Director Dr OP Gojra launched the programme.

More than 100 NHM workers, including community health officers, doctors, nurses, clerical and other contractual staff, who are on strike since October 16, said they would not allow the Deputy Chief Minister to enter the hospital.

Union leader Sukhjit Singh said more than 10,000 employees under the NHM had been working in Punjab at low salaries for the past 15 years. “We want our jobs to be regularised and an increase in salaries. Yesterday, we had staged a dharna on the Kharar-Chandigarh road for six hours following which a meeting was held with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, but no solution was provided to our issues,” he said. — TNS