Medical JAC to turn screws on govt

Hyderabad: To mount pressure on the state government for addressing the long pending issues in medical and health department, over 15 trade unions and associations formed Medical and Health Joint Action Committee (JAC). According to JAC leaders since 1999 the government had not appointed a regular employee in the paramedical cadre. However, 2000 staff nurses and 2000 ANMs were recruited.

Pointing out the issues of health and medical system, K Balaram, General Secretary, Medical and Health JAC said around 2000 employees have retired in the State but no new regular employee has yet been recruited. The department works round the clock but over 20,000 employees are contract employees, he said.

Jupally Rajender, Chief Advisor, JAC said in united AP the government implemented 8th and 9th PRCs, but the Telangana government was not implementing 10th PRC for contract and outsourcing employees. Earlier, each trade union and association approached the government to address the issues.

We thought with the unity we could mount pressure on the government so JAC formed, said B Venkateswar Reddy, Chairman, JAC. Referring to the plight of family members who had died, N Narayana Reddy, Convener, JAC said around 250 contract and outsourcing employees had died since 2000 but the kin of deceased did not get any ex gratia from the government.

Because of non-implementation of HR Policy they did not get any financial aid even for funeral, Reddy added. Besides, the JAC demanded regularisation of paramedical employees, fixing minimum basic according to 10th PRC to the contract and outsourcing employees, a HR policy to the all the employees etc.