John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Jan 25: A large number of Health Workers, who were engaged by National Health Mission, since May 2020, when cases of COVID-19 were rising in Andaman and during the surge of COVID-19 cases in August 2020, have now become jobless.
As per details, almost 220 such Health workers, including nurses, aayas, drivers, ward boys etc were engaged in Health Department (through NHM) to control the situation during the COVID-19 surge and responding to the crisis, these health workers worked day and night very dedicatedly, because of which today the situation in Andaman has come under total control.
But to their utter dismay now when the number of COVID-19 cases has come down their service has been discontinued.
A group of these health workers today gathered at Gandhi Park to chalk out future course of action in this regard.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha these nurses demanded that their service should be continued in Health Department as most of these nurses have no other source of income. They also demanded that instead of conducting fresh interview for nurses in health department, they must be appointed, as during COVID-19 they were selected only after a thorough interview.
“We rose to the occasion when there was a health crisis and hence our service must be acknowledged. Instead, our service was discontinued since December 31, 2020. Once we were showered with flowers and were called as COVID-19 warriors but now there is no one to listen to our grievances,” said one of the participants of the meeting today. Concerned Officials of NHRM were unavailable to comment in this regard today.
