National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) : Paramedical staff threaten stir
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 15 2012:
Demanding uniform performance-based honorarium to the contract basis para-medical staff of National Rural Health Mission within August 15, representatives of the para-medical staff threatened to launch various form of agitation from the next day in case of failure.
speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today on behalf of the para-medical contract employees Public Health Nurse Kh Monlina Devi voiced strong opposition to the reported remarks by NRHM State Programme manager Ng Monota Devi that para-medical staff deployed at Primary Health Centres and Primary Health Sub Centres have not carried out their assigned tasks with diligence.
While condemning such irresponsible comments and asking the Manager to authenticate the claims, Monlina also rejected the former's contention that 2011-12 approved salary scale are paid to the contract staff.
Strongly reacting against the reported comment of the Manager, she opined that demeaning contract basis para-medical staff as a collective failure amount to stating that the Manipur Health and family Welfare Department has ceased functioning.
Reminding that the para-medical staff deployed at PHCs and PHSCs are carrying out their task under the instruction/guidance of the CMOs/MOs concerned, Monlina wryly commented that if Monota's remarks are to be believed then it suggest that achievement record of NRHM projects since 2006 is due to table works executed from the comfort of offices rather than field works undertaken by the nurses and para-medical personnel.
Further disclosing that para-medical personnel posted in remote and hill district health centres are deprived of the prescribed hardship allowance, Monota questioned on what criteria Monlina is enjoying additional amount of Rs 16,300 'performance based honorarium' on top Rs 13,700 which the Department's pay implementation cell (PIC) has fixed for all the staff under NHRM.
There are disparities in even the PIC scale, she maintained and asserted that all such disparity and misconduct of the State Programme Manager would be presented to the Chief Minister, Health Minister and relevant officials in the form of a memorandum tomorrow.
Grievances of the para-medical staff were already placed before the Chief Minister on June 16, she informed.