NHM employees observe 48 hour pen down strike across North Kashmir

Baramulla, Apr 1: As part of the strike call given by the Jammu and Kashmir National Health Mission Employees Association (JKNHMEA), hundreds of employees under the National Health Mission (NHM) on Wednesday launched a 48-hour pen-down strike across North Kashmir on Wednesday.

The call has been given to intensify their demand for long-pending service benefits, including pay revision, job security, and social welfare measures.

The call, called by the Jammu and Kashmir National Health Mission Employees Association (JKNHMEA), witnessed participation from employees across all the districts of the Union Territory.

In North Kashmir, the demonstrations were held at different health centers including the district headquarters. In Baramulla, scores of NHM employees staged a protest within the premises of theTrauma Hospital, Pattan, SDH Sopore, PHC Rohama, Uri, Kunzar and at various other health centres. The protesting employees urged the government to address their grievances on priority.

The agitating employees said that despite being the backbone of the healthcare system, especially in rural and underserved areas, NHM staff continue to work on meagre fixed salaries, irrespective of qualifications or responsibilities.

“We are working with dedication and sincerity, but the disparity in our salaries compared to regular employees is deeply affecting our lives,” said Rukhana, an NHM worker who participated in the protest.

“With such limited income, it is difficult to meet household expenses or provide quality education to our children.” JKNHMEA Kashmir President Muneer Andrabi said NHM employees have played a pivotal role in strengthening public healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly during challenging times, yet remain deprived of basic service benefits. “The repeated assurances from the authorities have not materialised into concrete action. Our demands are genuine and long overdue,” he said. Among the various demands put forth by the NHM employees include pay revision in line with their roles and qualifications, Equal pay for equal work, Regularisation of services in a phased manner, Provision of child care leave besides, Golden handshake policy with a retirement benefit package.

The aggravated employees said that the first batch of NHM employees is set to complete 18 years of service by June 2026, yet their employment status remains contractual, with no clear policy on absorption or retirement benefits. Shazia, a protesting employee at a health centre in Baramulla said that even as discussions around the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission gain momentum, NHM employees continue to face financial and professional uncertainty. The employees urged the government to take immediate steps to address their concerns. They said prolonged neglect could impact the efficiency of healthcare delivery across the region.