The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed striking medical technologists and pharmacists to return to work after a two- to four-hour shutdown on November 30, which escalated into a 'complete service halt' at government hospitals and health centers.
The protest, organized under the 'Medical Technologist and Pharmacist Grade 10 Implementation Council,' was triggered by long-standing demands for promotion to Grade 10.
The staff members allege that despite qualifications equivalent to diploma engineers, nurses, and agricultural officers, bureaucratic delays and repeated verification have stalled their pay upgrade.
The ministry warned that continued strikes disrupt essential healthcare services, affecting patients and undermining the integrity of the profession.
Officials emphasized that all necessary steps regarding the Grade 10 issue have been "positively completed," and the concerned parties have been updated in "fruitful" discussions with secretaries. While the government remains "sincere" in addressing the pay demands, it stressed that implementing the changes requires time. Legal measures may be taken against activities that impede public services.
The ministry urged staff to avoid actions that compromise patient care, emphasizing that prolonged protests in the name of claims are "undesirable" in the healthcare sector.
