Seeking revocation of termination orders of 181 paramedics and staff nurses belonging to Jammu region, Harsh Dev Singh today held a protest dharna outside the residence of Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Department of Health and Medical Education, here. “The termination order is discriminatory as it operates only against the health professionals of Jammu region only. Secondly, the termination of frontline Corona warriors at the present juncture was the most obnoxious and unsound decision ever taken by the Department of H &ME,” Ssserted Singh. He sought continuation of all health workers of J&K irrespective of the region to which they belonged as entire J&K was heading towards a dangerous denouement in view of fast spreading coronavirus with its lethal ferocity. “Allow the health professionals of both Jammu as well as Kashmir to continue as the Prime Minister has also issued directions that no employee should be terminated at this critical juncture,” insisted Singh while addressing media persons here. He also submitted a memorandum at the residence of the Health Commissioner. “Why at all should the health professionals engaged under a proper procedure under SRO -24 be disengaged? And that too in a situation when we are facing acute deficiency of such staff besides being confronted with the worst ever health emergency? We desperately need additional trained staff in our health institutions. The Indian nursing council has prescribed the patient nurse ratio as 4:1 but J&K’s present ratio is 30:1 which is grossly inadequate. And despite the acute shortfall we are still retrenching the health workers. Is it not a disservice to the community? The Govt needed to answer its subjects”, maintained Harsh. Strongly condemning the threats being hurled upon the nurses and paramedics agitating for their genuine rights, Singh said that such coercive tactics of the rulers could no longer deter the awakened youth. He regretted that J&K H&ME had proved to be the most insensitive department in throwing away the educated trained professionals at the time of crisis despite the loud claims of the Centre and the State that none was being disengaged during the corona pandemic. Singh said that he would stand toe to toe and shoulder to shoulder with the aggrieved terminated employees in their fight for justice. Singh further sought standardized PPE, N 95 masks and other essential kits to doctors and nurses who were rendering herculean services to humanity at the risk of their lives with many of them having contracted the viral infection.
