Lady health workers hold protest for resolution of issues

On Monday, the All Sindh Lady Health Workers & Employees Union (ASLHWEU), part of Public Services International (PSI), organized a peaceful sit-in at Teen Talwar Chowrangi, Karachi. Initially, the protest was planned to take place at Bilawal House, but the police blocked the route and arrested 400 lady health workers, relocating them to various police stations.

The union's demand was clear: the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme should remain under the Health Department of the Government of Sindh. They also demanded that their longstanding service structure and retirement-related issues be addressed promptly. The protesters included Lady Health Workers, Lady Health Supervisors, trade union representatives, labor rights advocates, human rights activists, civil society members, and people from diverse backgrounds.

Haleema Zulqarnain Laghari, Central President of ASLHWEU, firmly opposed the outsourcing of the LHW Programme to private entities such as PPHI. She emphasized that the LHWs should remain under the Health Department and continue working according to the LHW Programme policy. The union also demanded the revision of the scales for LHWs, drivers, and Supervisors, along with regular time-scale promotions and pension and gratuity for retired employees.

Senior Vice President Nasira Parveen of the union pointed out that lower-tier employees should be treated equally for scale revision as other provincial government employees. She questioned why officers within the same program were granted upgraded scales while lower-tier workers were denied the same opportunity. The protesters also demanded the restoration of the medicine budget transferred to PPHI, maintenance, and POL/fuel allowances for Supervisors' vehicles.

They argued that a minimum level of district-level funds should be provided through District Health Officers to ensure continuous access to essential resources.

The union's leadership called for continuous peaceful protests, starting from a demonstration at Hyderabad Press Club on July 3, followed by demonstrations at BHUs, RHCs, and District Headquarters. They appealed to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister & Health Minister to intervene and protect the LHW Programme, which they described as the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.