JUMLA, Jan 2: With health workers hitting streets with several demands, locals in Jumla have been deprived of health facilities since the last few days. After the health workers of District Health Office staged demonstration demanding 'high pay and perks' among others, health institutions across the district have been affected. 

“We are returning from health institutions without getting any attention as there are no health workers. They are staging protests,” said Bhakta Bahadur Bohora, a local. “Patients are suffering, the state is acting mute,” he fumed. 

Locals have urged the government to address the concerns of the health workers without any delay so that they return to work promptly. The workers are dissatisfied with the pay, management and promotion-related issues. “There are several issues. For instance, there is provision that even when you are promoted to the sixth level, you have to be in control of the fifth level staff. What is this? We were bound to agitate,” said Ratan Bahadur Thapa, president of the struggle committee of the agitators. “We are not going to take rest until our demands are addressed,” he added. 

There are 30 members in the agitating committee so far. They have demanded better facilities for health workers in Jumla. “If they do not pay heed to our protest, we can go to any extent to draw their attention,” said Thapa. He stated that the health workers might call for indefinite strike in all health centers in Jumla. “Now there are only 30 of us demonstrating.
Soon all the health staff will join us,” he said.

 
• health workers
 
• protest
 
• patients