HYDERABAD/MIRPURKHAS/BADIN: Lady health workers (LHWs) on Monday held demonstrations in several cities and towns of Sindh against moves to hand over their services to the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) or some private company.

On a call given by the All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union, sit-ins were held outside the press clubs of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Larkana, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Nawabshah and other district headquarters, according to the union.

Speaking to the Mirpurkhas sit-in participants, Razia Ujjan, Hameeda Baloch, Sadaf Khan and Muradan Sammoo strongly condemn a drastic cut in the LHWs’ fund meant to meet their salary and package expenses.

Carrying placards and displaying banners inscribed with slogans against proposed ‘privatisation’ of LHWs, they said their institution’s merger into the PPHI was also not acceptable to them.

They described the deduction in the funds for their salaries and package as unlawful.

They recalled that the immunisation programme had been launched by slain prime minister Banazir Bhutto in 1994 with a view to protect children from crippling or life-threatening diseases and to create awareness among rural women about such diseases. They said LHWs had been rendering hectic services in field braving harsh weather conditions and difficult situations against a peltry wage.

They warned that if their services were outsourced to any other entity, they would be compelled to hold protest demonstrations outside the Bilawal House in Karachi.

Participants of the Badin sit-in was addressed by the union’s district chapter President Rukhsana Jamali and other leaders.

Ms Jamali said that LHWs had been serving communities in remote areas of Sindh for years and they had to risk their lives to provide this essential healthcare service, besides enduring harsh weather conditions.

She said LHWs played a key role in mother & child healthcare and routine immunisation campaigns.

The protesters urged the Sindh government to safeguard the status and rights of LHWs by giving up any plan to outsource their services.

They reaffirmed their support to the union’s President, Halima Leghari, in this struggle for their rights.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026