Health workers downplay call for service extension of contract staff
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 02 2021:
The role of Covid and MTS staff recruited contractually for three months on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic are indeed commendable, however the Government should meticulously consider whether their service extension will be a positive approach.
This was the view of health workers who also provided selfless services amidst COVID-19 pandemic as trainees at various health care institutions across the State.
The fight against COVID-19 has never been a fight for the Government alone or some select health workers but a concerted effort from various sections, including those who are rendering service in private health institutions, police and a number of NGOs.
The fight is still on in the State and across the globe, health workers who also have aspirations to serve for the Government, said while speaking to The Sangai Express.
Junior Residents, PG Doctors in RIMS and JNIMS, doctors and nurses in many private hospitals and health care institutes all have tended unconfirmed, suspected and symptomatic COVID cases besides emergency cases which cannot be kept waiting for the result, they said.
Not only these, there are thousands of candidates serving in health care facilities across the country far from their families and relatives, they said while reminding that all want regular service in Government run hospitals.
If the Government had to extend service or regularise the contractual health workers, it would only imply that the fight against COVID-19 was only handled by those workers, they said.
Should the Government fill vacant positions in the Medical Department to successfully deal COVID-19 situation, a qualifying examination conducted by competent authorities will be the right step considering the aspirations of all health workers, they said.
The State has seen many officials or employees who once served in various Departments, losing out due to regularization anomalies after the Court intervened, they reminded while urging the State Government to handle the situation in the right manner.