Srinagar: The paramedical staff of tertiary care hospitals under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Medical Employees Federation on Saturday announced two-day strike from Monday to press for their demands.

A senior leader of the federation said that thousands of paramedics of Government Medical College (GMS) and associated hospitals who were appointed since 2011 under SRO 384 on academic arrangements are working tirelessly without any break since then. He said the federation has decided to go on two-day hunger strike from July 22. The paramedics demand regularization of their services.

“The paramedics decided to go on strike against the government for not addressing their genuine demands which include framing of regularization policy,” he said adding that most of the employees are over aged now and cannot apply for fresh posts if referred to Service Selection Recruitment Board.

“The already existing tertiary care hospitals are backbone of our society like LD which is lone maternity hospital, SMHS hospital, GB Panth hospital, Chest Disease hospital and Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla. All doctors have been studying in these hospitals and despite all that the government has not fulfilled their genuine demands and is unmoved,” he said.

Among the many demands include non-regularization of the academic arrangement employees even after nine years of service; non-regularization of HDF and SDF hospital staff; non repealing of SRO-384/409; and non-enhancement of salary of HDF and SDF staff.

The federation has warned that if state administration failed to meet their demands until July 23, they will intensify the stir the sole responsibility of will lie on the administration.

According to officials, if the paramedics to go on strike, the patient care will be hit badly in these hospitals. (GNS)