On 5 February 2024, all members of the Jammu Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF) gathered at the federation office in the DHS Complex, Jammu. Sushil Sudan, president, JKMEF Jammu, chaired the meeting. The meeting was held to discuss the longstanding concerns of medical employees that need urgent attention.
One of the key points addressed in the meeting was the resolution of the ongoing salary problem affecting 2211 head employees. These employees have been enduring significant hardship due to not receiving their salaries for the past six months.
Other demands were also brought up during the meeting, including the re-designation of pharmacists as pharmacy officers, following the example set by other states and union territories.
Additionally, there was discussion about extending central government health scheme (CGHS) coverage to all employees and retirees, similar to what central government employees receive. It was emphasised that the pending general provident funds of both employees and retirees need to be released from the treasury without any further delay.
Moreover, there was deliberation on the re-designation of various technical positions and the creation of a technical officer post for roles such as OT Tech, ophthalmic technician, and X-ray technician, aligning with the structure already in place for lab technicians.
A group from JKMEF Jammu, led by Sushil Sudan, met with Rakesh Magotra, director, Health Services Jammu, to present the employees’ demands.
The delegation included Bharat Bhushan Bhagat, president, Pharmacists Association; Parfulat Singh, general secretary; Onkar Singh, vice president, JKMEF; Jaswinder Singh, president, OT Tech amongst others.
