The health services under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in the Baleswar Municipality have been paralyzed as the ANMs who were working on contractual basis in different centres have been transferred after their jobs became permanent on completion of six years of service. Reports said under the NUHM three community centres, Sahadevkhunta, Sovarampur and Sunhat, were functional and 13 ANMs were engaged on contractual basis in the centres.
But all of them were transferred to different centres as they became permanent for completion of the statutory period. As a result, all these centres are facing a jolt running as they are without any ANM.The ANMs are responsible for urban health and nutrition services for the residents.
Similarly, on all Wednesdays, they conduct the immunisation programmes and on Thursdays they hold the screening camps for the non communicable diseases. Further, on the rest of the days, they conduct counselling in different locations. Reports added that all these services are now stalled as the ANMs engaged have moved elsewhere as permanent staff. Besides, 113 Anganwadi centres are too adversely affected.“The health authorities have transferred the ANMs without making prior arrangements.
If fresh recruitment of ANMs against these vacant posts had been initiated at least before three months, the crisis would not have arisen," said an insider of the Health Department requesting anonymity.