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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Sanitation workers attached to PHCs in T.N. demand pay rise and permanent employment
Sanitation workers, around 2,500 of them, working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Tamil Nadu are still earning only ₹1,500 as monthly wages. Their persistent demand to increase the monthly wages to ₹5,000 and to provide permanent employment remains unfulfilled. In a statement issued, the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) and the Tamil Nadu Government Primary Health Centre RCH Sanitation Workers Welfare Association, demanded immediate implementation of increased monthly honorarium. During the April 2025 Assembly session, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, announced that the monthly honorarium for Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) sanitation workers would be raised from ₹1,500 to ₹5,000. A government order for the same has not yet been issued, the associations said and demanded its immediate release and payment of ₹5,000 from April 2025. G. R. Ravindranath, general secretary of DASE, said that of the total 3,500 RCH sanitation workers, 1,000 were posted as multi-purpose hospital workers. Those who had started working about 15 years ago received a monthly pay of ₹500, which was increased to ₹1,000 and later to ₹1,500. Many RCH sanitation workers have been working for several years with only ₹1,500 as monthly wages, without being posted as multi-purpose hospital workers. They must be immediately posted as multi-purpose hospital workers. The associations demanded that sanitation workers who have crossed 60 years of age should be granted retirement benefits as announced by the Minister. If not, the pending dues should be calculated and paid as per the daily wage rates fixed by District Collectors under Government Order (D) 792 of the Public Health Department (2017). As per Government Order 604, multi-purpose hospital workers were paid only for a maximum of 27 days per month. This should be revised to provide full monthly wages and their services should be regularised. Sanitation workers must be given job security. As per the special order issued by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on October 1, 2010, the RCH sanitation workers should be given permanent employment. They demanded paid weekly-offs and government holidays. A total of 459 RCH sanitation workers who served in COVID-19 wards during the pandemic have not yet received the promised incentive of ₹15,000 each. This also should be disbursed immediately, they demanded.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
NEET PG 2025 exam centre confusion explained: What's forcing hundreds of Tamil Nadu aspirants to travel across states?
NBEMS allots NEET PG exam centres located 600 km away from resident cities, sparking concerns among aspirants. (AI generated image) Hundreds of medical graduates from Tamil Nadu are facing unexpected hurdles ahead of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025, scheduled for August 3. Despite selecting exam centres within their home state, many have been allotted far-flung locations in Andhra Pradesh, including towns like Narasaraopet and Rajahmundry, nearly 600 km from Chennai. The unexpected allotment has sparked frustration, with aspirants citing logistical strain, safety concerns, and financial burden. The situation has also reignited demands for a more transparent and region-sensitive exam centre allocation system. Why are Tamil Nadu students being sent out of state? According to the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), Tamil Nadu has 24 approved NEET-PG centres including major cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Kancheepuram. Yet, nearly about 900 to 1,000 candidates from Tamil Nadu have been assigned centres in Andhra Pradesh this year, said the Doctors' Association for Social Equality (DASE). A NEET PG aspirant, Arjun Ramkumar, shared his frustration: 'Some of my friends have been allotted Rajahmundry, which is about 600 km from Chennai. We're forced to travel at least two days in advance, book tickets, and make stay arrangements. It's an added burden during an already stressful period,' he said, as reported by IANS. TNRDA flags the issue with Health Ministry The Tamil Nadu Resident Doctors Association (TNRDA) has also raised concern over the centre allotment, stating that the preferences of aspirants were ignored this year. Following the outburst among the students, TNRDA has submitted a formal complaint to both the Union Health Ministry and NBEMS, seeking immediate reallocation of centres within the state. The association argued that with Tamil Nadu having a large number of government and private medical colleges, it is fully capable of accommodating its own candidates locally. They also pointed to the mismatch in allotment trends between Tamil Nadu and states like Andhra Pradesh, which have fewer applicants. Gendered impact and a call for intervention Long-distance travel isn't just inconvenient, but it also disproportionately affects women candidates, many of whom require an escort or guardian for safety during interstate travel. 'It adds financial and logistical strain, especially for women,' said DASE General Secretary G.R. Ravindranath, as quoted by IANS. This isn't a new issue. In 2024, MPs R. Sachithanantham (Dindigul) and Shashi Tharoor had taken up a similar concern, which led to successful reallocation for many students. With the exam date drawing close, students and medical associations are urging similar intervention this year. What's next? More than 2.42 lakh candidates have registered for NEET-PG 2025 nationwide. With admit cards expected to be released by July 31, candidates facing travel to unfamiliar cities are left with little time to plan and adapt. Whether NBEMS or the Union Health Ministry will act in time remains uncertain. Until then, for many Tamil Nadu aspirants, the road to postgraduate medical education begins with an unexpected, and unwanted, journey. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
T.N. Village Health Nurses demand filling up of vacant posts, to stage series of protests
Village Health Nurses (VHN) affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Government All Health Nurses Association have flagged a number of concerns, including a delay in filling the large number of vacant posts, as a result of which their workload has increased manifold. They have also registered their objection to the Health department's move to involve Mid Level Health Providers (MLHP) in immunisation services — one of the key service areas of VHNs — instead of filling the vacancies. On Friday (June 27, 2025), the association members, along with the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE), said that they have decided to launch a series of protests to put forward their demands, starting with wearing demand badges till July 2, demonstrations in all district headquarters on July 10, and a fast in Chennai on July 24. There were nearly 4,000 vacant posts of VHNs in the State. As a result, the existing VHNs were covering four villages instead of one each through the Health Sub Centres. This has resulted in heavy workload, and was affecting maternal and child health services, they said in a press release. 'Now, instead of filling the vacant posts, the Directorate of Public and Preventive Medicine is trying to engage MLHPs — 4,848 of them were recruited for Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam — to work in HSCs and take up the immunisation services. It is VHNs who have been carrying out immunisation work for several decades, and this decision is unacceptable,' R. Indhira, founder, Tamil Nadu Government All Health Nurses Association, said. She added that a court case was being cited for not filling up the vacancies. G.R. Ravindranath, general secretary, DASE, said the State government should take steps to expedite the court case and fill the vacancies. He also demanded that the government withdraw its decision to involve big private hospitals to provide immunisation services under the Universal Immunisation Programme. The implementation of Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme was taking up 80% of the time of the VHNs. As a result, their primary responsibilities in maternal and child health care were being affected. The scheme's implementation should be returned to the Social Welfare department, they demanded.
