FAIZAN A TRAMBOO
The National Health Mission (NHM), one of India’s flagship health programme, was launched by the Government of India in 2005 with the objective of providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to every citizen, especially in rural and underserved regions. The mission aimed to strengthen the public health system through community participation, capacity building, and integration of services at all levels.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the scheme was implemented around 2007-08, marking a new era in the healthcare delivery system. Since then, thousands of Medical Officers, Paramedics, and Management staff under NHM in difference schemes of NHM viz RBSK, NTEP, SACS, NPCDCS (NCD) and other have been serving across every corner of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, be it the plains, border belts, or the snow-covered mountain regions ensuring that health services reach even the most remote populations.
The NHM employees have remained the lifeline of the public health system in J&K. They have played a crucial role in implementing national programmes on maternal and child health, immunization, disease surveillance, and health awareness. Their tireless dedication has been a key factor behind J&K achieving remarkable success in primary healthcare delivery.
The former State of Jammu and Kashmir has been conferred three national-level awards for excellence in primary healthcare- an achievement largely credited to the sincere efforts and ground-level commitment of NHM employees. During the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, which posed several operational challenges, NHM staff worked relentlessly to ensure that no child was left out. Similarly, during public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, these employees stood at the forefront, often risking their lives while serving the people. Tragically, one Medical Officer under NHM from the Kashmir Division also lost his precious life in the line of COVID duty, highlighting the risks these employees face daily in their commitment to public service.
Over the years of NHM’s implementation in Jammu and Kashmir, more than 50 dedicated employees have lost their lives while performing their duties. Despite their ultimate sacrifice, there has been no long-term security or support provided to their bereaved families, except for an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, which is met from the Corpus Fund contributed by NHM employees themselves. This heartbreaking reality underscores the need for a comprehensive welfare policy that provides genuine social and financial security to the families of those who gave their lives in service to the nation’s health mission.
Despite more than 15 to 20 years of continuous service, NHM employees continue to serve on a meager salary, without any job security or regularization policy. Their contribution, though widely recognized, has not translated into tangible welfare measures.
If the Government of J&K had earlier framed job policies for employees of other departments such as SSA and State Contractual staff, then why have NHM employees who are an integral component of the health sector been ignored?
Recently, the Government of J&K under the leadership of the then Hon’ble Chief Minister Jenab Omar Abdullah had regularized CPW employees of the School Education Department. This move was widely appreciated, yet NHM employees, who have been relentlessly serving in the health sector for nearly two decades, were left out.
In the years 2017 and 2018, during the statewide protest of NHM employees across Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, the then Government took cognizance of their grievances and constituted a High-Power Committee comprising top bureaucrats, tasked with examining the genuine issues of NHM employees and suggesting appropriate measures. Unfortunately, the recommendations of that committee never saw the light of day, and the matter remained unresolved.
In 2018, the then Health Minister of J&K, Bali Bhagat, had categorically informed the Legislative Assembly that the Government had proposed a draft policy for the regularization of NHM employees in a phased manner, and the relevant file had been forwarded to the Finance Department for necessary action. Sadly, this long-awaited proposal remains a distant dream, as no follow-up or action was taken by the concerned authorities despite several reminders and repeated requests from NHM representatives.
The Government of India has categorically clarified that all matters related to the regularization and service conditions of NHM employees are State/UT-specific issues. This means that only the respective State or UT Government has the authority to frame a job policy or take a decision regarding the regularization of NHM employees.
When the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into a Union Territory, there was a renewed ray of hope among NHM employees that the new administration would take comprehensive steps for their welfare. Unfortunately, even after years of UT governance, no concrete measures have been taken to address their long-pending demands.
The employees have called upon the Government of J&K to follow the example of other States and Union Territories that have already regularized their NHM staff. They emphasize that NHM employees perform their duties with equal dedication, possess similar qualifications, and face even greater risks than regular employees, yet they continue to be deprived of equivalent benefits and salaries.
Moreover, until any regularization policy is framed, it is strongly urged that a compensation amount of Rs 30 lakh be provided to those employee who retire from NHM services, utilizing the Corpus Fund (Employees Contributory Fund), as a measure of respect and support for their long years of dedicated services under the mission.
Even at very meager salaries, NHM employees continue to serve in rural, inaccessible, far-flung, and mountainous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, driven solely by their mission to provide better healthcare to the people. As per surveys and field reports, nearly 80% of health staff working in rural and peripheral health institutions belongs to NHM, reflecting the scale of their contribution.
Many NHM employees are even serving away from their home districts, having spent years outside their native places to fulfill service requirements. It is high time the administration takes serious steps to address this issue by formulating a comprehensive home return/adjustment policy, allowing employees to serve the remaining years of their tenure in their home districts.
The NHM employees of Jammu and Kashmir have proven their commitment beyond doubt. They have kept the health system functional, efficient, and responsive in even the most challenging circumstances.
Now, it is the responsibility of the Government to acknowledge their service and translate gratitude into policy action. A comprehensive job policy ensuring regularization, fair remuneration, and security of service is not just a demand it is a moral obligation and a step toward justice for those who have given their youth, energy, and even their lives in the service of public health.
