Taking serious note of employees’ strike affecting healthcare services in the state, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday said that all employees working in health institutions under National Health Mission (NHM), Haryana, have been included in Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA), 1956.
Under this, such employees can lose their jobs if they go on strike, said Vij, reacting on the repeated strikes observed by NHM employees at some places over their demands.
The Health Minister said that in this regard, all civil surgeons have been issued directions. The Act would also be implemented on employees working in government hospitals under NHM for Ambulance, mother and child healthcare, emergency and other essential services.
If employees of NHM go on strike, the emergency services in hospitals get affected and patients have to face many problems and this decision would ensure treatment of patients without any obstruction, he added.
The Minister further said that NHM employees have been included in Service Rule-2018 implemented in the state. Under this, if NHM employees go on strike then actions would be taken against them under the Act.
He said all civil surgeons have also been directed to send daily attendance and other activities of such employees at headquarters. They can appoint new employees in place of striking employees for ensuring smooth functioning of healthcare institutions, he added.