Female health workers raise various demands

Swareena Gurung,EOI, DARJEELING, 11 Jun 2016: The West Bengal Multipurpose Female Health Workers’ Association today organised a state conference at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhawan for auxiliary nurses and midwives from across the state and Jharkhand. The main focus of the conference was to highlight their demands aimed at their all-round welfare.

Due to the multipurpose nature of their occupation, these female health workers are burdened with huge workloads but are deprived of benefits they deserve. Their grievances include limited promotion, low salaries and unfair treatment by other nurses.

Ratna Biswas, secretary, of the association’s Darjeeling chapter, said, “We do not have technical cadre and promotion options are very limited. Many of us have worked for 25-30 years in the same position, without any chances of being promoted. Auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANM) can be found everywhere in the country, but their pay scales vary across states, from Rs 6,500 to Rs 10,000. We also conducted a national conference in Delhi where we raised our demands.”

Another participant said, “It is we who provide the base for the healthcare system and yet we are neglected. Not only are we responsible for midwifery work, but we also tend to tuberculosis and leprosy patients.”

During the course of the conference, a demand was raised for a community health nursing midwifery cadre. Presently, the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) director is in-charge of ANMs as well but they are demanding for a separate director. They also want community health auxiliary workers to be promoted to health supervisors.

A key demand of the association is for a monthly high risk allowance of Rs 5,000 since their occupation requires the workers to come in close contact with HIV and TB patients. They carry out immunisations, CT insertions, HIV tests, and so on, which endanger their health. Further, the association wants a monthly tiffin allowance of Rs 2,000 to cover travel and food expenses needed while travelling to various areas to tend to patients. A demand for the introduction of separate training schools and syllabi for auxiliary health workers was also made.

Currently, there are 310 members in the West Bengal Multipurpose Female Health Workers’ Association. They have also garnered support from various human rights groups such as Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) and Society of Midwives India