Over 22,000 Lady Health Workers (LHWs) of Sindh province have been not paid their salaries for three months owing to lethargy of federal and provincial governments, PPI learned on Thursday.
Provincial All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Employees Association (APLHWEA) President Khair-nu-Nisa Memon said the employees of national programme for family planning and primary health care, including supervisors, lady health workers, account supervisors and drivers have been deprived of their salaries for the last three months. She said the LHWs were facing great hardships due to delay in release of salaries. She informed that LHWs in Sindh province had been deprived of their salaries since February 2015.
She said provincial authorities had assured them for release of three-month salaries this month but health workers were not sure whether or not the provincial government will fulfil its promise. She said even Rs 250 per day daily stipend was yet unpaid to many lady health workers.
When asked if LHWs would perform their duties in upcoming polio campaigns in such circumstance, Khair-nu-Nisa said defiantly lady health workers will perform their duties in the coming polio drive as protecting children is the our prime responsibility.
Provincial Coordinator, National Programme for Family Planning & Primary Health Care Dr Jay Ram Das, when contacted, confirmed that salaries had not been paid to LHWs in Sindh province. He said salaries had been released from federal government. The salaries would be deposited in bank accounts of lady health workers by the end of this month, he added.