MNA Calls For Recognition Of LHWs Sacrifices

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Dec, 2020 ) :Member of the National Assembly Shahida Rahmani on Monday said the sacrifices of frontline health workers, who gave their lives in the line of duty, should be recognized at all levels.

Whether working during COVID-19 pandemic or as polio workers the LHWs faced immense challenges, whether in the field or at home front, she said while adressing a seminar here at Karachi Press Club.

The seminar was organized by the All Sindh Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Employees Union, in collaboration with the Public Services International (PSI) and Workers education and Research Organization (WERO).

The Charter Of Demand (COD) is a document prepared jointly by LHWs of Pakistan, India and Nepal in the time of Covid-19 to make it part of governments' Covid-19 response and recovery strategies.

Chairperson Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW), Nuzhat Shirin said it was a high time that the services of such workers were recognized.

She also highlighted the need for safety at work and proper provision of safety equipment to the LHWs who go in the field as frontline soldiers and provide the much needed help to the people.

She said that the LHWs were important segment of the public health system, especially in rural areas, which were denied basic health facilities and they filled that gap there. If not protected then they would not only become vulnerable themselves but also would be a risk for the community they were working in, she maintained.

Prominent labour leader Zahra Khan said human history is a witness that the big revolutions in the world became successful only due to the inclusion of women in them.

Journalist Moniza Inam declared the charter of demand as a great milestone in their struggle which started in 2011 for attaining basic rights and will continue till their all demands are accepted.

She said that during pandemic, health workers were facing immense problems where they asked to monitor COVID19 situation in their work areas without proper safety equipment. They should be provided proper safety equipment and facilities so that they could do justice to their responsibilities, she added.

President Karachi Union of Journalists Hasan Abbas while endorsing his support for the campaign of LHWs, spoke on the central role played by women in making a strong society.

Central President of All Sindh LHWs and Employees Union Haleema Zulqarnain spoke on the importance of declaring lady health workers as public health workers and their work should be recognized as public service, having same facilities and wages as is given to other public servants.

General Secretary of the Union Shama Gulani while thanking the audience in the end said that at the moment there are around 22000 LHWs in Sindh while the province needs at least 80,000 LHWs.

She said that initially one LHW was supposed to cover a population of one thousand people only, which has now expanded not only in number but also in geographical coverage and they don't get any additional allowance, food, care or transport to reach their place of work.