ANMs protest in Hyderabad demanding regularisation and better pay

Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) across Telangana staged a protest at the Health Commissioner's office in Koti, demanding regularisation of their jobs, fair pay, and job security. They accused the government of ignoring election promises and creating unrealistic work expectations

Hyderabad: Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) from across Telangana on Thursday participated in a dharna in front of the office of the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, Koti, demanding better working conditions, pay and benefits.

For the past 18-months, the ANMs, under an umbrella of various organisations, have been holding protests on issues related to their work.

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“The Congress had made an election promise to regularise our services, but so far, it has not been able to do anything to address the promise. The services of the ANMs, who are on a contractual basis, must be regularised. Our members have been providing essential services for decades, and they deserve job security,” says K Yada Naik, general secretary of Telangana United Medical and Health Employees Union.

Rama Lakshmi, a protesting ANM, said the health department was setting unrealistic targets but not regularising their services. “We are not receiving 100 per cent of our gross salaries, including arrears. On several occasions in the past, health officials held talks with us but have not fulfilled their promises,” she said.

“After decades of working as ANMs, a large number of our members have reached 50 years of age. Most of them now fear losing their jobs, following the recent examination results of Multi-Purpose Health Workers. Many appeared for this test but failed to clear it. What happens to their future?” Naik asked.