Tanveer Hussain
Budgam, September 15: The protest by employees of the National Health Mission (NHM), being held under the banner of the All J&K NHM Employees Association, District Budgam, continued for the seventh consecutive day on Monday, with employees reiterating their long-pending demands, including a comprehensive job policy, equal pay for equal work, salary revision, retirement benefits and social security.
The protesting employees said they have been serving in the healthcare system for several years and have repeatedly approached the government and concerned authorities for resolution of their issues. They appealed to the administration to initiate meaningful dialogue with their representatives and take concrete steps to address their demands.
Addressing the protest, NHM Chadoora Block Vice President Dr Farzana said representatives of NHM employees had met the Health Minister twice, but both meetings remained inconclusive.
She said no concrete or positive response had so far emerged from the government that could persuade the employees to call off the ongoing strike. She added that the decision regarding continuation or withdrawal of the protest would be taken by the Core Committee of the J&K NHM Union, and NHM employees across Jammu and Kashmir would follow the decision.
Dr Farzana acknowledged that the ongoing strike was affecting healthcare services at various facilities, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs). However, she said NHM employees themselves had been facing serious difficulties for a long time.
“We do not want patient services to be affected, but NHM employees are also facing hardships. We have repeatedly raised our genuine issues before the concerned authorities,” she said.
She said NHM employees have been serving in the health sector since the inception of the scheme, but several service-related demands have remained unresolved despite the passage of years.
Highlighting the issue of salary disparity, Dr Farzana said NHM employees perform duties similar to those performed by regular employees of the Health Department, but receive significantly lower remuneration.
Citing the example of Multi-Purpose Workers (MPWs) under NHM, she said they receive around Rs 20,000 per month, while employees in the regular sector performing similar duties receive considerably higher salaries.
“Our demand is equal pay for equal work. We perform the same duties, carry almost the same workload and serve the same healthcare system,” she said.
Reacting to the government’s position that NHM is a centrally sponsored scheme, Dr Farzana said the government also has an important role in matters concerning employees, including salary revision, incentives and other policy-related measures.
She also referred to the symbolic strike held in April 2026, saying employees had then been assured that their genuine demands would be resolved within two months. However, she said several months had passed without any concrete progress.
Meanwhile, another NHM representative, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, said the protest had entered its seventh day but there had been no substantial progress from the government so far.
He appealed to Health Minister Sakina Yasin to personally intervene in the matter and initiate meaningful talks with NHM employees.
“We are here to serve the people and want to continue our duties. We do not want confrontation; we want dialogue. Our representatives should be called to the negotiating table and our genuine demands should be discussed,” Mir said.
Mir said NHM employees were seeking a comprehensive job policy, retirement benefits and social security benefits for their families. He alleged that several committees had been constituted over the past two decades to examine the issues of NHM employees, but their problems remained unresolved.
He also referred to earlier assurances regarding the phased regularisation of NHM employees, saying employees now wanted a clear and workable roadmap rather than further assurances.
“There is a big difference between saying something and actually doing it. If the government provides us with a concrete agenda and written assurance, we are ready to return to our respective blocks and districts and resume serving the public,” he said.
Doctors, paramedical staff and employees associated with management and other sections are participating in the protest.
The protesting employees urged the government to initiate talks with their representatives at the earliest and resolve their long-pending issues through meaningful dialogue.
The employees made it clear that they would consider ending the strike only after the government provides concrete and written assurances or takes decisions on their demands.
