THE lady health workers (LHWs), supe-rvisors and drivers have been working relentlessly to serve the public in the rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These dedicated individuals, numbering over 5,000, are at the forefront of crucial health initiatives, such as polio campaigns, Covid response, and general health services.

Many have even lost their lives while on duty, but their sacrifices often go unnoticed and unappreciated.

For the last about seven months, these workers have been deprived of their salaries, severely affecting their financial stability. This is the worst situation they have faced in the last 10 years.

The rising inflation has made it nearly impossible for them to meet their basic household needs, with many workers being forced to withdraw their children from schools due to unpaid fee, while shopk-eepers refuse to extend credit anymore.

In a society where women already face significant challenges in achieving eco-nomic independence, LHWs continue to endure hardships in order to provide food to their families.

Despite facing societal pressure and opposition, they step out to fulfil their duties, often working in harsh conditions, including extreme weather, and perfor-ming additional tasks, like election duties. However, their struggles remain largely invisible.

Since 2014, no permanent position has been granted to these workers despite the promises made to them. After unde-rgoing 15 months of training, they were assured permanent employment, but years later, the promise has remained unfulfilled. Moreover, their salaries range from Rs22,000 to Rs25,000, which are way below the minimum wage guaranteed to all government or private-sector employees. This lack of fair compensation and recognition is a grave injustice.

The government should address the challenges faced by these workers, ensure timely disbursement of their salaries, make them permanent employees, and provide adequate salary increases and benefits. This will help improve their quality of life, and ensure that they continue to perform their official duties effectively.

Amin Ullah
Upper Dir

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2024