PoJK: Health workers protest in Muzaffarabad over unresolved allowance demands

The protest led to the temporary closure of Outpatient Department (OPD) services, causing inconvenience to patients and attendants. Demonstrators gathered inside and outside the hospital premises, raising slogans and urging authorities to implement their demands without further delay.

Masoom Mughal, Chairman of the Health Employees Federation (HEF), stated that the charter does not require further debate, yet nearly a month has passed without action. He highlighted two major demands -- the health allowance and disparity allowance. According to him, employees currently receive a 25 percent health allowance, while other departments benefit from disparity allowances. However, public health employees at AIMS have been excluded from disparity and utility allowances on the grounds that they already receive a 25 percent health allowance, which, he alleged, is being treated as if it were equivalent to full benefits.

Protesters said they submitted their Charter of Demands to the Chief Secretary on January 30 and staged demonstrations on February 6, followed by a token strike from February 13. Syed Shujat Hussain, Central General Secretary of the Para-Medical Staff, said that during a meeting with the Health Minister and senior officials, their demands were acknowledged as valid. It was reportedly agreed that the health allowance would be revised to 2022 levels temporarily and incorporated into the 2026 budget. However, no official notification has been issued so far.

Employees are also demanding a proper service structure for paramedics and support staff, implementation of DD and DDO orders, a four-point training formula, Special Healthcare Allowance similar to doctors, and inclusion in Utility and Disparity Allowances.

The protest has once again brought attention to what employees describe as governance gaps and delayed administrative action in PoJK, with commitments made but implementation still pending. (ANI)