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| Microbiologists, technicians hired during COVID-19 crisis set to lose jobs | | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 27: Hundreds of Microbiologists and technicians hired during COVID-19 crisis may face disengagement as the Chairman Executive Committee, State Health Society; NHM has refused to grant extension to their services.
In a communiqué, the HoD Microbiology at Government Medical College Baramulla, requested Principal GMC Baramulla to take up the matter with concerned departments as they can’t fight COVID-19 if the services of staff recruited through ECRP aren’t extended.
“The Mission Director NHM, J&K has informed all the concerned heads of the Institutions during the review meeting held on 20th of July 2021 at the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chairman Executive Committee, State Health Society, NHM that the further extension of the hired employees under said program is not possible due to unknown reasons,” a letter addressed to Principal GMC Baramulla reads. A copy of this communication lies with Early Times.
In this letter, HoD Microbiology says that in absence of the staff hired under the scheme ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’ –ECRP, they can’t fight COVID-19. “This staff played a vital role in catering to the COVID-19 (RT-PCR & RAT) testing needs of the two districts of north Kashmir-Baramulla and Kupwara,” reads the letter.
On Wednesday, Principal Government Medical College Anantnag, Prof (Dr) Syed Tariq Quershi wrote to the Mission Director, National Health Mission J&K and requested him to issue necessary instructions regarding the staff hired through the ECRP scheme during COVID-19 crisis.
“It has been requested number of times that the extension of tenure beyond 6 months in favor of Microbiologists and laboratory technicians engaged during COVID-19 be provided, however the same hasn’t been conveyed,” he wrote, adding these employees hired for GMC Anantnag were working without salaries from past four months.
Principal Government Medical College Srinagar in her letter addressed to Additional Chief Secretary Health and Medical Education Department says that the services of all the employees hired under ECRP scheme will expire by the end of September.
“The shortage of staff in Government Medical College Srinagar to tackle the pandemic at the level of tertiary care in Kashmir isn’t possible without hiring the said staff and it is requested to pass the directions for continuation of the said staff,” reads the letter.
A group of technicians told Early Times that around 1600 employees may lose jobs if the NHM department didn’t extend their services. “This scheme is 100% funded by Government of India and World Bank too has released funds to GoI for fighting COVID-19 however it is unclear what stops the government from extending our services in the middle of this pandemic,” they said while seeking the intervention of LG Manoj Sinha. |
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