MINGORA: Hundreds of lady health workers and lady health visitors on Monday took to the streets against denial of salary for last four months.

Holding placards and shouting slogans against the provincial government, the protesters marched in Saidu Sharif city and blocked the main Mingora-Saidu Sharif Road for four hours.

“We have not been paid salary since May this year though we’ve been regularly doing duty. We are poor people, so we’ve been struggling to pay house rent and children’s school fee under the current circumstances,” said Nahid Bibi, the president of the Swat LHWs Association.

Nahid Bibi said in 2012, the Supreme Court had ordered the government to regularise the services of all LHWs and LHVs in the country but the order had yet to be implemented.

DHO calms protesters promising payments in 10 days

“This is an open violation and contempt of the Supreme Court orders,” she said.

Another LHW, Rahat Bibi, a resident of Odigram area, said the government should regularise the services of LHWs and LHVs in line with the court order.

“Our salaries should be released immediately as members of our families face shortage of food and other items,” she said.

The LHW said the government should understand that no healthcare activity could take place in the province if LHWs were in distress.

LHW Shamim Bibi, a resident of Gwalerai area, said lady health workers had to pay for transport fare and other expenses from own pockets to carry out duty.

She said it was strange that the government paid Rs8,000 every month to LHWs and their supervisors too and even drivers hired for the programme were paid the same amount of money.

“Such payments are unfair and are based on injustice,” she said.

After the road remained blocked for four hours, district health officer Dr Syed Ali Khan showed up and persuaded protesters to disperse peacefully.

“I have contacted the relevant federal government officials in Islamabad and was told that the money for payment of salary to LHWs have been released. LHWs will get their salary in the next 10 days,” he said. The DHO also assured protesters that their other demands would be met soon.

Thereafter, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

They, however, warned they would agitate again if salary was not paid to them in 14 days.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015

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