Karnataka's woes continue, health workers now threaten strike

While Karnataka still struggles to deal with a widespread agitation by police constables, another major problem has arisen before the government as over 800 health workers have threatened to go on strike. If they do walk out, Bengaluru's 24 maternity homes, six referral hospitals, 29 health centres, 19 urban family welfare centres and 16 dispensaries will suffer acute staff shortages.

 

Read more: Karnataka police protest: CM threatens actions against 'indiscipline'

 

The workers have given a 30-day deadline to the Municipal Corporation and state government for a positive response to their issues. If the deadline lapses, they threaten to agitate around the health minister UT Khader's house in the city. They also claimed they would commit mass suicide by consuming poison. 

 

"We are over 800 of us and have served for over ten years. We draw a paltry sum of ₹3,584 per month. But since January, the salary has been stopped, and there is no answer from either the agency which employees us or BBMP officials and public representatives," said Sashikala, President of the BBMP health link workers union.

 

Read more: Karnataka : After police, six lakh state employees threaten mass leave

 

Sujatha, another link worker who has served the palike (local area within the city) for the past ten years, stated that they had approached Katte Sathyanarayana when he was the mayor of the city and later also appealed to health minister UT Khader. But both requests went unanswered. 

 

"We want a revision in the salary and also regularisation of our service. PM Modi talks about 'Aache Din' and state CM Siddaramaiah harps on 'Bhagyas', but both centre and state seem to be only restricted to speeches," she said. 

 

Read more: Why are 50000 Karnataka policemen going on mass leave?

 

Jay Kumar, Field Executive, Poornima Enterprises, which arranges workers for palike health schemes claimed the salary issue had to be handled by palike administrators. Regarding the regularisation of service, Kumar explained that since the employees were recruited under the National Rural Health Mission, the decision has to be taken by either the state or union government.

 

Crucially, these workers are the link between the public and the health department. Programmes about communicable and non-communicable diseases, regular check-ups on expectant mothers and the state's polio programme by and large reach residents of urban slums and remote areas in the city through them.

 

Bengaluru is facing a serious risk of a dengue outbreak, with over 50 positive cases already being reported in the city. The health situation in the city may take a drastic turn for the worse if these workers cease their health programmes or suspected cases of dengue are not treated at hospitals.