Outsourcing staff from PHCs in Vizag protest against their unfair lay-off

Things have heated up between the former outsourcing staff, at Primary Health Centres (PHC), and the Andhra Pradesh State Government. The staff took to the roads of Vizag on Tuesday and flagged off a protest against their lay-off. In a bid to make their voice heard, the staff stormed the residence of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister, Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao. They are accusing that their firing was unfair and without any reasonable grounds. 

The State Government hires a doctor, a staff nurse, two Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), lab technicians and pharmacists at each PHC in the state. This staff is hired on an outsourcing basis. The previous State Government had set up 26 PHCs in the district and charged an organisation named ‘Ee Vaidya’ with its functioning. These 26 PHCs had close to 160 people employed at them. This staff had been providing medical services in less accessible areas in Vizag District for the last five years. They were also critical in performing Covid-19 tests and carrying out vaccination programmes in these areas. A while back, their services were praised by the District Administration as well. But for some reason, their services were discontinued and they were laid off on Tuesday. 

With the orders for their suspension issued, the Tourism Minister had apparently asked the staff not to report to work on Wednesday. Angered by this, the staff decided to protest in front of his Vizag residence on Tuesday, demanding the State Government to reverse their unjust firing. 

On the other hand, the Visakhapatnam District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), P Surya Narayana, has clarified that despite the dismissal of the outsourcing staff, the PHCs will remain open to any patients. These health centres are presently run by the staff employed through the 104 toll-free number as well as the staff recruited during Covid-19. 

PHCs in the district have been vital in treating patients during Covid-19, apart from conducting vaccination drives throughout the district. Earlier in the month, the contract staff at King George Hospital (KGH) had also been laid off by the State Government, after which they began protesting.