Community health providers demand job nationalisation

Health care providers of community-based clinic have threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike form February 1 to realise their demand of job nationalisation, reports UNB.

The central command of the Bangladesh Community Health Care Providers Association announced on Thursday their future demonstration schedule at a press meet at the National Press Club.

The Convener of the organisation, Md Sahidul Islam said that in 1996 the then Awami League government first initiated the community clinic service but in 2001 it was shut-down following changes in power in the country.

He also said in 2008 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched community clinic again and after recruiting 13,500 CHCP in 2011 it started to run in full-swing.

He claimed that now the community- based health care project is over and 13,500 CHCP are in uncertainty over their livelihoods and future because their age for the government jobs has already exceeded.

Md. Nayem Uddin, Secretary of the association said that they demonstrated for several times and the Prime Minister and Health Minister in 2016 assured them of nationalising their jobs within two weeks but two years have elapsed, the promise is yet to be translated into reality.

Now the workers vowed to hold sit-in, work abstention and memorandum submission in Dhaka from January 20 to January 31.