Union urges Telangana health department to fill vacant posts, release timely salaries

The Telangana United Medical and Health Employees Union (TUMHEU), affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), has raised concerns over staff shortages and pending payments across the State’s public health sector. The union has urged the government to take steps to fill vacant posts, release salaries and implement job regularisation for thousands of contractual health workers.

Addressing the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday (August 5), TUMHEU State president Bhupal and general secretary K. Yada Nayak said that nearly 6,269 sanctioned posts remain vacant in government hospitals, Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) and PHCs, while health services continue to run with limited manpower. The union alleged that outsourced, contract and National Health Mission (NHM) workers are being forced to work in critical services without job security or timely salaries.

“While ₹25,000 per month has been announced as honorarium for contract and outsourced workers, many still have not received it,” said Mr. Bhupal.

The union also took strong objection to the non-payment of wages for hundreds of mid-level health providers (MLHPs), ANMs, pharmacists, lab technicians and other staff working under NHM and UPHCs. According to them, nearly 2,500 workers have not received salaries for the last few months.

“The government should regularise the services of health workers who have completed 10 to 15 years of service under contract or NHM arrangements. These workers have been on the frontlines during COVID-19, heatwaves and other emergencies, yet they remain underpaid and insecure,” said K. Yada Nayak.

The union submitted a representation to S. Gopikanth Reddy, Member Secretary of Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board (MHSRB) demanding immediate recruitment to all vacant posts, regularisation of NHM and contract staff who have completed at least 10 years of service, and inclusion of eligible workers under Government Order (GO) 64, which pertains to regularisation.