Farrukhabad Contract Health Workers Protest with Utensils

फर्रुखाबाद | संदीप तिवारी

Contract Health Workers Protest in Farrukhabad

Farrukhabad, October 16, 2026 – Contract health workers employed under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Farrukhabad staged a unique protest on Thursday, demanding their long-standing grievances be addressed. The demonstration, held within the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) office premises from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM, saw employees attract the attention of the administration by banging plates and bowls and sounding conch shells.

The protest was primarily aimed at resolving pay anomalies and regularizing their services. Raj Aryan Agnihotri, District President of the Contract Health Workers Association, stated that the movement began on October 5th. Initially, workers wore black armbands as a form of protest, but after their demands were ignored, they decided to intensify their struggle.

Agnihotri further revealed that their anger escalated after employees were stopped en route to a planned march in Lucknow on October 12th, further fueling their discontent.

Demands for Pay Disparity and Regularization

Shahina Bano, a protesting employee, emphasized that equal pay for equal work and permanent appointments are their fundamental rights. She expressed concern over the lack of job security despite years of service in healthcare.

The employees stated that they have been consistently providing their services but are not being regularized, leading to uncertainty about their future. Their consistent dedication to health services without job security is a significant concern.

Warning Issued on Emergency Services

During the protest, which was conducted in the presence of police, the employees issued a serious warning to the health department. They clarified that they are currently ensuring emergency health services continue uninterrupted.

However, they warned that if the administration fails to make any concrete and positive decisions regarding their demands, they will consider halting emergency services as well. This situation could severely impact the district's health system, causing significant inconvenience to the general public.

A large number of contract health workers, including District General Secretary Rakhi Shahid, participated in the demonstration. All eyes are now on the administration and the health department to see when a meaningful initiative will be taken to resolve this deadlock and what action will be taken on the employees' demands.