*No immediate breakthrough in sight
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 24: Patients across Jammu and Kashmir endured significant hardship today as a two-day strike by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Health and Medical Employees disrupted healthcare services in Government hospitals and medical colleges throughout the Union Territory.
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On the opening day of the strike, Outpatient Department (OPD) services and key diagnostic facilities-including X-ray and ultrasound-remained largely suspended in most major hospitals. Although OPDs operated briefly for about an hour in some institutions, the limited window proved inadequate to handle the heavy patient load, leading to long queues and widespread inconvenience.
A large number of patients, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses, were forced to return without receiving consultations or undergoing necessary diagnostic tests. However, emergency services continued to function across health institutions, offering some relief in critical cases.
Simultaneously, employees including paramedical and nursing staff staged protests and demonstrations at Government Medical Colleges and hospitals across the Union Territory, voicing strong resentment against what they described as anti-employee policies of the administration.
The agitation has been launched against Order No. HME Acc/236/2022-02 (cc-150945), issued by the Director Finance, Health & Medical Education Department on January 20, 2026, which withdraws the allowance equivalent to two-and-a-half days’ salary granted to non-gazetted employees for duties performed on Sundays and gazetted holidays under roster.
President of the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Employees Federation, Jaswinder Singh, said the decision has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among employees. He noted that for over three decades, non-gazetted staff had been compensated for working on holidays, and the abrupt withdrawal of this benefit is both unjustified and demoralizing.
He further stated that a Government-constituted committee, formed on March 11, 2026, to examine the issue has neither submitted its report within the stipulated timeframe nor initiated meaningful dialogue with employee representatives.
Employees had been protesting peacefully since February 9, beginning with black badge demonstrations, followed by a two-hour strike on February 20 and a one-day strike on March 12. With no resolution forthcoming, the agitation escalated into the current two-day strike.
The ongoing disruption has also highlighted the strain on the already burdened healthcare system, with staff shortages severely impacting routine patient care, diagnostics, and follow-up treatments.
The JAC has warned of intensifying the agitation if their demands are not addressed promptly. Demonstrations were reported from several institutions, including Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and GMC Rajouri. In Qazigund also, employees staged protest and demanded release of pending 2 ½ day’s salary and early finalization of a Government appointed committee report examining the issue.
Meanwhile, Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department, M Raju, expressed optimism that the issues would be resolved soon. With no immediate breakthrough in sight, the impasse continues to take a toll on patient care, leaving the public to bear the consequences.
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