Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Bali Bhagat appealed to the National Health Mission (NHM) employees to call off their strike and assured that all genuine issues being faced by them would be addressed on priority basis.

However, the agitating staff turned down the appeal and decided to extend the strike by six more days to press for their demands including regularisation of their services."We are continuing with the strike till we get a written assurance from the government for fulfilment of our genuine demands especially the main demand of job regularisation," Jammu division president of All J-K NHM employees association Rohit Seth said."We started the strike on December 20 and have been extending it by 72 hours. Now we have decided to extend the strike by six more days," he said.

Blaming the government for "forcing" them to resort to strike, Seth said, "We called off the earlier strike in March after the government set up a committee to examine our demands. But in the past nine months, they have been betrayed multiple times through hollow statements and empty promises."Over 11,000 NHM, J&K State AIDS Control Society (JKSACS) and Revised National Tuberculosis control programme (RNTCP) employees, including doctors and paramedics, are on strike Since December 20 and holding protests at the exhibition ground here.Services in various district and sub-district healthcare facilities and primary health centres in remote areas across the state have been affected by the strike.

In addition to the demand for job regularisation, the agitators are seeking equal pay for equal work and other benefits on par with government employees, claiming that most of them have completed about a decade of contractual service and have crossed the age limit.To find a way of ending the state-wide strike, the state health minister yesterday met the representatives of the NHM association and appealed them to resume their duties forthwith as the health services are being hampered due to their stir."The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and both parties put forth their viewpoints," an official spokesperson said, adding the minister apprised the agitators that the government was aware about their problems and was making all out efforts to address these in a phased manner.

Bhagat said a strike is not the solution to any issue and they should negotiate in an open mind.Listing some of the measures initiated by the government for the welfare of the NHM and employees of other bodies, he said accidental insurance, employees provident fund (EPF), earned leave and maternity leave have been extended to them.The minister announced one per cent hike in the overall remuneration of all employees, the spokesperson said.