CHITRAL: A large number of lady health workers staged a protest demonstration in front of the Chitral Press Club here on Monday against denial of proper service structure and other perks and privileges.

Addressing the protesters, Asia Bibi, Sadia Sahar, Shahina Mahmud, Zahida Muzafar, Harira, Gul Shahzadi and others said they performed duty round the clock as being the family healthcare providers, and were also the key players in execution of the special immunisation drives.

They said despite their services spanning over 25 years, the lady health workers drew a meager salary of Rs15,000.

The health workers said their future was also bleak as they would be fired from service on superannuation without pensions.

They said the previous PML-N government had devised a plan to give proper service structure to the lady health workers, but the incumbent government of PTI had failed to implement the plan in sheer disregard of its slogan of giving health sector foremost priority.

They warned if the government did not fulfill their demand, they would march to Islamabad to join their protesting colleagues there.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2020