Neiphiu Rio
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio. Image credit - Northeast Now

The Nagaland health and family welfare department on Sunday urged the National Health Mission Employees Association Nagaland (NEAN) to immediately call off its cease work strike in the interest of public service.

The association launched indefinite cease work strike from Sunday, alleging injustice towards the National Health Mission employees by the state government.

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“We are all aware that there is shortage of manpower in the department to combat with the current pandemic situation and we acknowledge the services rendered by the NHM employees not only at this period of time but also in the past,” NHM mission director Dr Kevichusa Medikhru said in a letter to NEAN president Dr Shasinlo Magh.

Medikhru requested the association to withdraw its strike considering the urgent need to combat and contain the COVID-19 pandemic where number of positive cases in the state is increasing over the time. He sought favourable response from all the NHM employees in this regard.

He said the department was willing to give impartial hearing to the demands of the NHM employees and urged them to come forward for open discussion for redressal of their grievances. However, the letter said the unprecedented step to go on indefinite cease work from June 14 without even giving the department any prior notice or call for redressal is regretful.

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He said the department has already initiated steps to address the issue and even invited the NEAN for discussion on the matter today itself. The meeting unfortunately did not materialise due to unresponsiveness from the NEAN end, he added.

 

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: [email protected]