Bathinda, December 11
The indefinite strike called by contract workers of the National Health Mission (NHM) has entered its third week. The workers went on a strike last month and medical services at government-run hospitals in Bathinda are hit due to this.
With the community health workers and ANMs going on strike, vaccination and Covid testing drive has been particularly affected, especially in rural areas. There are regular ANMs, who are working, but their number is quite small to maintain smooth flow of drives.
As around 40 per cent of the total staff has suspended work, it is the existing regular staff that has to work extra hours daily. But that might take a toll on the quality of services offered at government hospitals and also on the health of the workers. Even operation theatre units are not functioning as doctors have stopped conducting surgeries for want of staff. Besides, testing for other diseases, clerical work and door-to-door campaigns under various Health Department programmes have also got affected. Sources said many patients when left with no other alternative are being coerced to visit private city hospitals to get treatment which charge exorbitantly. — TNS
Workers' indefinite strike cripples health services
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