Bihar Govt Orders to Terminate Services of 80,000 Striking Health Workers

Patna: The Bihar government on Wednesday ordered to start the process of terminating the services of almost 80 thousand striking Health workers, who were hired on contracts and are now demanding equal pay for equal work.

Principal Health Secretary R.K Mahajan, in a letter to all district magistrates and civil surgeons, urged to start hiring against the striking workers as essential services in government hospitals have been severely affected.

These workers include nursing staff, accountants, lab technicians and health managers. They were hired on contracts under National Health Mission.

Their continuing strike has crippled health services across the state as reports of patients lying unattended from various districts has caused panic among officials in Patna.

On the other hand, contractual Health Workers Association, President, Lalan Kumar has termed the decision of terminating services as draconian and threatened to intensify the agitation.

“We will start hunger strike and even go for mass self immolation. We will not allow any government hospital to run after this decision. The state government will be responsible for any untoward incident,” said Lalan Kumar.

The letter issued by RK Mahajan reads, “Those who have boycotted works will not be paid and process of terminating their work contracts be taken at the earliest. Those who will obstruct the staff willing to resume services will be liable to face criminal cases against them.”

Buoyed by the recent Patna High Court judgment of giving equal pay to contractual teachers similar to that of regularised teaching staff, other contractual workers also started agitation demanding the same benefits to them.