Vaidya Mitras on warpath

Ongole: The paramedical and nursing staff, who are working as ‘Vaidya Mitras’, under NTR Vaidya Seva scheme, are demanding the government to cancel its decision of appointing new staff by sacking them.

The Vaidya Mitras in Prakasam district staged a protest at the Collectorate on Friday and demanded the government to reconsider its decision.

Y Srinivas Reddy, president of the Arogya Mitra Contract Employees Union, Prakasam district chapter said, “The Arogya Mitras are working hard to provide best services to the public and with their cooperation 4.89 lakh of people received treatment and 9.19 lakh were tested at 3,203 health camps. With the combined contribution of the Arogya Mitras, the scheme has received 27 awards in the national and international arena and received The Indian IRIS award for 2015. But now, the government is sacking all the staff in the name of lack of qualification and wants to recruit all the employees under the scheme afresh. This is nothing , but bulldozing our dreams of regularising the contract jobs and throwing our families on to the roads.”

Ch. Kiran Kumar, secretary of the association said, “The government wants to recruit B Sc Nursing, M Sc Nursing, D Pharm, B Pharm, B Sc MLT and other candidates in the positions of present Vaidya Mitras. As most of us do not have the qualifications, but are sincerely offering services to the patients. Sacking us in the name of qualification is not the right thing. We request the government to consider is continuing in the service and it can train us to meet the responsibilities of the new duties.”

The staff submitted a memorandum to the officials and local public representatives asking their intervention in this regard.