Healthcare services halted in Amritsar as clinic workers go on strike

Mohalla Clinic workers in Amritsar shut down facilities, demanding job regularisation and benefits, causing major disruptions for patients. National Health Mission employees also staged a separate protest for job security and better incentives.

Visual from the site (Photo/ANI)

Mohalla Clinic workers in Amritsar on Wednesday shut down clinics across the city, halting routine healthcare services over demands for regularisation of their jobs, provision of medical leaves, and inclusion in the state health department.

Speaking to ANI on the shutdown, clinic helper Tejbir stated that the facilities will remain closed until their concerns are addressed by the authorities. "They have closed the clinic with the demands for their job to be made permanent, granted medical leave, and to also include them in the department... It will remain closed till their demands are met," Tejbir said.

Patients Suffer Due to Unexpected Closure

The unexpected closure of the clinics caused significant inconvenience to local patients arriving for treatment and medicines. Sahil, a patient who visited the clinic, expressed concern over the disruption, saying, "I was told that it is closed for 3 days because of a strike... The ones working here are demanding their position to be made permanent... The medical facilities should not be shut as patients face a lot of problems because of this..."

NHM Employees Also Protest

Meanwhile, National Health Mission (NHM) employees also staged a protest outside the Amritsar Civil Surgeon's office, pressing for an increase in incentives, no salary deductions during leave, and job security.

State Joint Front Union Chairman and Amritsar Pharmacist Union President Pradeep Gupta said the agitating staff would rejoin duty only after the government issues an official written notification. "...We have simple demands, and they are proper leave benefits, increase the incentives and job security... As soon as we receive the notification and get the letter, we will be rejoining duty; we will have no issue with it... We are only being promised that our demands will be met, but there has been no official notification..." Gupta told ANI. (ANI)

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