Women Health Volunteers protest demanding better pay
Police arrested Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) Women Health Volunteers at Teynampet in Chennai on Tuesday, demanding better wages.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Women Health Volunteers (WHV) of Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) on Tuesday staged a protest on the campus of the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) demanding an increase in salary according to their workload.
WHVs play a crucial role in the State’s flagship scheme of MTM that focuses on non-communicable diseases. However, they have been flagging issues of low pay and increased workload.
“We are being paid a salary of Rs. 5,500. When we were recruited, we were told that work was for two hours a day but in actual, our work goes on for more than six to seven hours a day. We cover 20 patients a day, and it takes at least half an hour for each patient. We need to make entries for patients, distribute drugs at their houses as well as measure blood pressure and blood sugar levels every month,” Kavitha, a volunteer in Vellore district, said.
She added that there was a delay in payment of salaries in some districts. “We are demanding that the salaries are directly paid to our bank accounts instead of routing them through the women Self Help Groups,” she said.
Suganya, district vice president, MTM-CITU, Tiruchi, said, “Many are single parents and are facing difficulty in managing our household expenses with the current salary. What was told to be a two-hour job has turned into full-time work. We are also being asked to work at Primary Health Centres at times. We have online data update work as well. We should be paid at least Rs. 15,000.” She noted that their initial salary of Rs. 4,500 was increased to Rs. 5,500 after representations.
WHVs are involved in cancer, leprosy, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis screenings too. Some of the WHVs pointed out that they travel by auto rickshaws as bus services are irregular in some places or by two-wheelers in case of long distances. As a result, the spending towards auto fare and fuel has turned into an additional burden. “We start from our homes at 8 a.m. and return at about 7 p.m. on most days. Increasing our pay will help us to a great extent,” another volunteer added.
Police picked up the WHVs who had assembled from various districts for the protest at DMS and detained them in marriage halls.
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