Over 5,000 Community Health Officers to march to Bengaluru on September 28

More than 5,000 Community Health Officers (CHOs) working under the National Health Mission (NHM) across Karnataka will take out a padayatra on September 28 and stage an indefinite dharna in Bengaluru, seeking job regularisation and revision of their service conditions.

Announcing the programme at a press conference in Kalaburagi on Thursday, Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI) national general secretary R. Manasayya and Akhila Karnataka State Community Health NHM Contractual Employees Union State president Sumit Gaikwad said the padayatra would begin at Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru and culminate at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, where the participants would launch the indefinite dharna.

The union leaders objected to the State government’s decision to prescribe B.Sc. Nursing as a qualification for the posts of Primary Health Care Officer (PHCO/ANM) and Health Inspection Officer (HIO). They said the move would affect the career progression, cadre protection and job security of CHOs already serving under the NHM.

“The very purpose of the move is to replace the existing contractual staff with the fresh recruits. Our union had already submitted detailed objections at a meeting chaired by the Mission Director, NHM, on September 9. However, following the publication of the final Gazette notification on September 15, the Health Department had not provided a reasoned explanation on how the objections raised by the employees had been considered,” Mr. Manasayya said.

The union has sought immediate regularisation of the services of all working CHOs and complete job security. It has also demanded withdrawal of the B.Sc. Nursing qualification prescribed for the PHCO (ANM) and HIO posts, besides guaranteed cadre protection, clear career progression and promotion opportunities for serving CHOs.

The leaders also sought deferment of the ongoing relocation and transfer process of CHOs until all pending issues were resolved through discussions. They demanded revision of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for CHOs in accordance with Union government guidelines, a transparent inter-district transfer policy and revision of salaries in view of their duties and workload.

The union leaders said the proposed agitation would be conducted peacefully and democratically and urged the government to resolve the grievances before the padayatra.