Govt, JNIMS staff ink deal, stir off
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 25 2012:
The agitation launched since yesterday by employees of the State Health Department who were working in JN Hospital but later absorbed in JNIMS has been suspended after the employees and Health and Family Welfare Minister Phungzathang Tonsing struck an agreement today.
The employees decided to take three days' mass casual leave against non-payment of salaries in time, absence of service protection, absence of separate DDO for JN Hospital, prohibition on drawing GPF amounts and non release of arrears.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Phungzathang Tonsing held a meeting with some representatives of the agitating employees this morning.
After listening to the employees' demands, the Minister observed that all the demands were reasonable.
He also assured to address the problems as soon as possible.
At this assurance, the employees agreed to suspend their agitation.
As such, the employees would return to their duties from tomorrow.
Later today, Phungzathang Tonsing visited JNIMS and inspected its OPD, ICU, surgical ward and CT scan machine.
He was accompanied by Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Ram Muivah and other top officials of the department.
Talking with employees at JNIMS, the Minister suggested that employees of JN Hospital may be put under JNIMS DDO instead of creating a separate post of DDO for JN Hospital employees.
He maintained that the Government has been working to address all the employees' problems.
Phungzathang further assured that the employees would be given two options of staying at JN Hospital or moving to JNIMS.
The department has been working to put in place a clear cut policy.
Guided by the adage, 'Prevention is better than cure', the Government has been making all efforts to frame a health policy for the State.
Moreover, the Government has been working to ensure health care facilities to BPL families and also extend re-imbursement benefits for treatment in Government hospitals.