They have been observing work abstention since Saturday, halting nationwide vaccination programme
Health assistants began a sit-in in front of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka's Mohakhali area this morning to press home their six-point demands, including upgrading their entry post to the 14th grade.
"Several thousand health assistants have taken position in front of the DGHS office since 9:00am, and we will continue our programme unless our demands are met," Fazlul Haque Chowdhury, member secretary of the Bangladesh Health Assistant Association Central Coordination Council, told The Daily Star at 3:00pm.
Photo: Collected
He said several mid-level officials from the health authorities had asked them to join discussions, but they refused, saying they would only sit with the health adviser.
The health assistants have been observing work abstention since Saturday, taking position at Central Hospital and halting the vaccination programme across the country.
Health assistants are frontline public health workers, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. They conduct routine vaccination sessions, among other responsibilities.
Earlier on November 23, the association announced that it would go for work abstention if its demands were not met by November 28.
The association has long been demanding amendments to the recruitment rules, make their entry post grade-14 instead of grade 16, removal of salary discrimination, and the granting of technical status, among six demands.
They had also observed work abstention in early October to press home the same demands but withdrew following assurance from the authorities concerned.
Contacted, Prof Khair Ahmed Choudhury, additional director general (administration) of the DGHS, said they were also in favour of the health assistants' demands and that the process to implement those was underway. "But it will take some time, which they are not willing to allow," he told this correspondent.
He further said the ministry has already held a meeting regarding the nationwide halt in vaccination caused by their programme.
