Health workers' stir to affect medical services

 Healthcare services across the State are likely to be affected as over 1,500 paramedics and doctors working under various health schemes are going ahead with their protest, demanding a hike in salary and regularisation of employment.

On Saturday, workers under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Reproductive Child Health (RCH), Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) and other schemes continued their indefinite strike for the third consecutive day.

Nagaraj, President, Staff Nurses Association, NRHM said that U T Khader, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, had informed them that the issue was to be dealt with at the Centre.

He further added that workers would intensify protests and also organise a protest march. “We will walk from MG Road to Freedom Park on February 19 to put forth our demands,” he said.

Suma, one of the staff nurses said they had made efforts to ensure the protest did not affect patients. “One staff nurse would stay back at the hospital everyday while the others are participating in the protest,” she explained.