COVID warriors: Laboratory technicians hold protest in Guwahati

Since the novel coronavirus outbreak in the world, the health workers were at the forefront of the war and all the laboratory technicians were comrades-in-arms. However, as the number of cases has decreased in the state, they were asked to leave in October, the protesters lamented.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of them had joined as laboratory technicians resigning their previous jobs, as health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had then assured that their jobs would be declared permanent after three months.

The protesters demanded justice from the government and urged the minister to look into the matter at the earliest.

Earlier on November 21, the laboratory technicians staged a protest raising anti-government slogans in front of the National Health Mission (NHM) office in Christian Basti, Guwahati. This was after a notice was issued by the mission director of NHM, Assam stating that "it has been decided to discontinue and release all remaining temporary HR engaged for Covid19 at both state and district w.e.f  November 20, 2020 or from the date of discontinuation of their services, whichever is earlier".

The notification also mentioned that all the HR shall be released with their remuneration for the period of service given temporarily along with an experience or appreciation certificate as possible.

Following the order, despite promising that their jobs will be made permanent after three months, they were asked to leave with just a remuneration and experience or appreciation certificate.

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