Health Workers Protest at Azad Maidan for Minimum Wage Increase and Benefits

Nearly 1,000 health workers protested at Azad Maidan on Tuesday, demanding a mandated minimum wage of ₹18,000, up from the current ₹12,000. The protesters also called for maternity laws for health workers, the implementation of minimum wages, the provision of provident fund, pension benefits as per court orders, and fair compensation for overtime work.

“We’re here in Azad Maidan, waiting for our fair pay. Even though we’ve been working here for so long, we’re not treated as BMC employees. We just want the same security and benefits,” said Kalpana Kajrekar, a community health volunteer from Tilak Nagar.

“Time after time, the BMC keeps assuring us that we will receive our deserved salaries, but they quickly forget that when they ask us to take on additional tasks like polio campaigns and dengue/malaria vaccinations,” said Pooja Karne. “But this time, we won’t budge. We’ll stay here until we get what we deserve.”

The ongoing protest is expected to disrupt several health activities in the community, including the ongoing BCG survey. The health workers, who visit an average of 60 houses daily, emphasized their commitment despite the risks. “After we visit someone’s house, we often discover they have dengue, or worse, Covid, but that doesn’t stop us,” said Pooja Kurne from Reay Road Aarogya Health Post.