Wages of NHM employees revised from 15% to 17% with 5% annual increase: Sakeena Itoo

Investigation in Badhal deaths underway, says Chlorphenapyr in viscera found in samples of all 17 deceased

Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the house that the wages of all NHM employees in J&K had been revised from 15 percent to 17 percent during the year 2021-22 with a 5 percent increase being given annually.The Minister was replying to a question raised by Ch. Vikram Randhawa in the Legislative Assembly.The Minister informed the house that the National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir is being fully funded by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). “Salary adjustments for NHM employees in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly to bridge the salary gap at par with employees in other states, must align with the policies set by the Central Government. Therefore, such changes require prior approval from the Central Ministry to ensure compliance with the NHM’s objectives and budget allocations”, she added.

She apprised that the wages were raised from Rs. 50000 to Rs. 85000 per month for the Specialists; from Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 for Medical Officer (MBBS), along with an additional Rs 15,000 as special performance based incentive; from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 per month for Medical Officer (AYUSH) and the wages were increased from Rs. 23,000 to 35,000 per month for the Dental Surgeons.While replying to supplementary questions raised by Ranbir Singh Pathania and Dr. Rameshwar Singh, the Minister said that the government would take up the issue of regularisation as well as enhancement of wages with the Government of India.

Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the House that the cause of illness and deaths in Badhal area of Rajouri is not due to any communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin.The Minister was replying to a question raised by Javeed Iqbal Choudhary in the Legislative Assembly.She said that the clinical reports, lab investigations and environmental samples indicate that the incidents are not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin, instead, detection by the PGMIER Chandigarh had revealed presence of Aluminium and Cadmium. Besides, CSIR-IITR Lucknow had found Aldicarb sulphate and Acetamipride Diethyl Dithiocarbamate, Chlorphenapyr while DRDE-DRDO Gwalior found Chlorphenapyr, Abrin from  samples of Sattu and Maize bread. He added that the NFL, FSSAI Ghaziabad, had found Chlorphenapyr and Chlorpyrophos from the food samples while CFSL, Chandigarh had found Chlorphenapyr in viscera samples of all the 17 deceased.

The Minister informed the house that the total number of patients admitted in GMC Rajouri was 64, out of these, 41 have been discharged after treatment and 17 patients have been referred to GMC Jammu and 01 patient to PGI Chandigarh. She said that 06 patients had died in GMC Rajouri while 11 patients died in GMC and SMGS Hospitals, Jammu.The Minister said that a standard treatment policy and discharge procedure is being adopted for the patients of Badhal area, prepared by the expert team of AIIMS New Delhi/PGI Chandigarh. She added that all the SOPs laid down by these teams are being adopted during stay of the patients in the hospital and simultaneously at the time of discharge and follow-up.

The Minister said that with regard to the patients in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, proper SOPs and protocols are being followed for all the three patients admitted in GMCH Jammu after being referred from GMCH Rajouri. She added that 2 patients are being kept in the Isolation ward while 1 patient after being shifted from PGI Chandigarh is being kept in a separate room in the Sir Colonel Chopra Nursing Home.The Minister said that the deceased family members of village Badhal of Rajouri district have been paid an amount of Rs. 1 lakh and 50,000 Red Cross Fund by the Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri.While replying to the supplementary, the Minister informed the house that the samples of 3500 people have been taken for examination and investigation is underway.M Y Tarigami and Choudhary Mohammad Akram raised supplementaries to the question.