KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Kashmir based doctors on Monday demanded Benevolent Fund Ordinance.
In this regard, a meeting of executive members of Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) under its President Dr G M Mir was held on 04/09/2016 wherein various grave issues were discussed threadbare.
“Keeping an eye on the current situation and the harsh ground realities under which the medical staff is performing duties, it was unanimously decided that there is a dire need of setting up of a Benevolent Welfare Fund for employees of Health and Medical Education Department,” Dr G M Mir said.
“Since the onset of current crisis various health personnel got severely injured across Kashmir which also included the brave Ambulance Driver who had a close shave with death when forces shot pellets on him. The surge in such incidences has made us susceptible to threat and there is every chance of our life being in danger while going to or performing duties in hospitals. There have been increased incidences of assault in and out of Hospitals in the past also and keeping the political scenario into consideration life threatening incidents will have no definite end instantly,” he said adding, “moreover, the Health and Medical Education Department is an Essential Services and the institution remains open for 24 hours. As such all the employees of the department are required to attend the duties in the late/night hours and in the early mornings. The nature of the duties and responsibilities are multifarious/multidimensional making them prone to various health hazards and risks and as such the authorities need to wake up from deep slumber and act accordingly.”
Dr Masood Rashid, Critical Care Specialist, who is a member of DAK said, “health employees all along since the era of turmoil have faced the brunt of assault and threat to life continuously and there is no established rehabilitative action plan in case any untoward happens to any health employee.”
In case of any calamity, in service employee of the department should take utmost financial and rehabilitative care of the family of the deceased under a Welfare Fund Mechanism, the statement informed.
“So far as the existence of such a fund in other states is concerned, there exists a Benevolent Fund in the neighbouring Punjab known: Punjab Government Servants’ Benevolent Fund which applies to all the government servants of that state. The said fund has been created by the Government of Punjab under an ordinance in 1960. Here, in our state, there is a well-managed Employee Welfare Plan for the betterment of staff in various departments like Police, J&K Bank,” the statement further informed.
Spokesperson of DAK, Dr Mir Mushtaq, said, “DAK had raised its voice earlier at Directorate and Secretariat level and a proposal was flouted which unfortunately is biting dust in the administrative corridors. It is high time that the authorities wake up from hibernation and establish a proper Welfare Fund in the department so that family of any deceased in service employee doesn’t meet huge catastrophe.”
Meanwhile, DAK appealed all associations of the department to join hands and work in tandem to stress authorities for working up for a result oriented action plan at the earliest.
