HYDERABAD: Office-bea­rers of the All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Associ­ation on Friday dec­lar­ed support for the National Progra­mme for Family Plan­ning and Prim­ary Healthcare (NPFPPH), Sindh deputy coo­rdinator, whose removal is being demanded by an agitating group of lady health workers led by Khairun Nisa Memon.

The deputy coordinator, Ghulam Mustafa Khero, claims that he was manhandled by the agitating group outside his office on Wednesday.

Ms Memon claims to be an office-bearer of the association but its president rejects her claim. Members of her group including Shahnaz Ranjhani, Rukhsana Mughal and Raheela Shaikh had held a protest demonstration outside the NPFPPH office in Civil Lines a couple of days back accusing the provincial programme coordinator, Dr Roshan Bhatti, field programme officer Dr Aftab Ahmed Sarewal and a clerk, Anis Ahmed of being corrupt.

The group demanded removal of the officials, issuance of their job regularisation orders and payment of their six-month salaries.

On Friday, All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Association Sindh president Haleema Leghari, led a demonstration and addressed a press conference claiming that some LHWs had manhandled Mr Khero although the main issue of their regularisation was in progress.

She said that the agitating group was pressuring the authorities concerned on their own issues. “They are not office-bearers of the association,” she said, adding that the Hyderabad chapter of the association had already been dissolved. She claimed that Rukhsana Mughal and Raheela Sheikh were no more representatives of the LHWs. She said that a five-member organising committee had been formed to revive the chapter.

Provincial Programme Implementation Unit Staff Association president Dr Aftab Sarewal, who was accompanying Ms Leghari at the press conference, supported her stance.

Ms Leghari said that the process of LHWs regularisation was under way at a faster pace than in any other province. She condemned the alleged manhandling of the deputy coordinator and recalled that the aggressive workers had torn off his shirt which was an immoral act.

General secretary of the association Shama Gullani said that the NPFPPH authorities were complying with the apex court’s orders regarding the regularisation of LHWs.

Office-bearers of the association demanded removal of Khairun Nisa Memon, Shahnaz Ranjhani, Raheela Sheikh, Rukshana Memon, Khalida Saqlain and others for their involvement in the alleged manhandling incident. They urged the chief minister, health minister, health secretary and others to take notice of the uncalled for incident.

Published in Dawn, August 30th , 2014