Giving into demands: 22,000 lady health workers to be regularised

LHWs to be regularised after they submit documents for verification.

KARACHI: Sindh government has accepted all demands of the Lady Health Workers, including their issue of permanent employment in the health department. Over 22,000 LHWs of the province will be given offer orders within next two months, the top health officials promised Tuesday.

“We’ll regularise all the LHWs according to the orders of the Supreme Court,” informed Sindh Health Secretary Iqbal Hussain Durrani after his successful talks with the protesting LHWs outside the Karachi Press Club. “Their issue of salaries is also being resolved,” Durrani told the media. He also said that the amount of petrol which was being handed over to the District Health Officers will now be given to LHW’s supervisors.

A four member committee of the LHWs has been formed which will look after all matters will hold meetings with top officials.

Before the arrival of Durrani, hundreds of LHWs from different parts of the province assembled outside the KPC and said that they won’t leave until and unless their all issues are not resolved. The protesting health workers said that the government had deceived them in past. “We won’t trust them now,” said Shahnaz Ranjhani, the provincial general secretary of the All Pakistan Lady Health Worker Employees Association (APLHWEA)

The protest started Tuesday afternoon but after Durrani’s assurance the LHWs dispersed peacefully. “We have been waiting for last 18 years and can wait for more two months,” Farzan Baloch, another officer bearer of the association said.

Baloch informed The Express Tribune that the health officials have ensured that the amount of petrol will be given soon. “The provincial government has to give petrol allowance of three years but now we’ll be given in installments,” she said. “The issue of regular salary is another biggest issue but the officials have also promised that it would be resolved when offer orders would be handed over.”

The LHWs also demanded provincial government that the attitude of some officials should also be monitored. “The harassment with female workers won’t be accepted,” said Khairnunissa Memon, provincial president of the APLHWEA.

The health workers demanded Durrani to regularise all LHWs. “We’ll decide how many workers will be regularised as there are several employees who will retire soon,” Durrani said. “Let them submit their documents. We’ll give them orders within 24 hours, if they submit verification documents today.”

“What about those who had served for last 18 years,” an employee asked Durrani during talks. “Justice will be provided to workers,” Durrani ensured.

Most of the health workers were not sure either the provincial government will fulfill its promise as they believe that same sorts of promises had been take in past as well. “They promise and forget. We stage protest and leave on their assurance,” Ranjhani said.