Bengaluru: Over 5,200 community health officers (CHOs) working at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) across Karnataka have been protesting for six days, demanding regularisation of services, revision of salaries and fulfilment of other demands.AAMs, formerly known as health and wellness centres, are primary healthcare facilities under National Health Mission (NHM) that provide preventive, promotive and basic curative healthcare services at the community level. Services across 6,200 AAMs have been affected due to the indefinite strike.Under the aegis of Akhila Karnataka Community Health NHM Contract Employees’ Association, CHOs began their protest on Sept 28 with a march from Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru to Nelamangala. They subsequently reached Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Sept 29, where they have been protesting.“We want our posts to be regularised and a cadre to be created so that our jobs are secure. We also want the state govt to withdraw the requirement of B.Sc nursing qualification for the posts of primary health officer and health inspecting officer, as the new qualification requirement could adversely affect the future of CHOs who are already serving in the health system,” said Vasanth Kumar C, a representative of the association.Health department officials said govt had assured the protesters that their jobs were secure, but some of their demands could not be fulfilled due to policy constraints.“I have met the protesters and assured them that mandating B.Sc nursing is a standardisation measure, as the qualification required earlier is not recognised elsewhere. We will soon issue a written acknowledgement that this will not affect jobs of those already working in the system. Other demands, such as cadre creation and regularisation, are not easy to implement as these are not covered under NHM guidelines,” said Ritwik Ranjanam Pandey, principal secretary, health department.
