160 dengue patrol workers sacked
A workers carries out anti-mosquito spray in a market amid rising cases of dengue and malaria. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/ Express
The District Health Authority sacked 160 dengue sanitary patrol workers, including 90 female workers, as soon as the threat of dengue was reduced, taking the total tally of sacked workers to 359.
Earlier, another 200 dengue workers were sacked. Those who have been dismissed have complained of not getting their salaries for the past three months. In response, they have announced a sit-in protest to be held on Monday (tomorrow) outside the Deputy Commissioner's office.
As per sources, their contracts were terminated after which they were issued letters of termination and were dismissed from work. The women in particular complained that there weren’t paid and were facing starvation at home.
One of the female workers said that they were threatened with dismissal whenever they demanded their salaries. She added that there were many like her who were fired and were told that they won’t be getting any salaries. “If you would visit the Chief Executive Officer of the District Health Authority to ask for your hard-earned salary, he will threaten you,” she added.
On the other hand, Health officials claim to have run out of funds to pay the salaries of these employees.
They reiterated that the salaries of all the employees would be paid as soon as the necessary funds are available to them. They further said that they could not pay temporary contract workers at the moment.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2022.