Health workers lock DGHS gates for 5 hrs demanding arrears, permanent jobs

Several hundred workers appointed under a government project staged a protest outside the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the capital today, locking all the gates of the DGHS building to demand overdue salary payments and permanent job status.

They locked the gates at 3:30pm, trapping several DGHS officials inside the building due to the protest.

DGHS Director General Dr Abu Jafar said, "The workers under the Covid-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness (ERPP) project have unlawfully locked all gates, trapping officials inside and obstructing government operations. While law enforcement managed to open a small gate, the main entrance remains blocked. I am at the health ministry while my staff are stuck inside."

"These workers were appointed temporarily during the pandemic, and their demand for permanent positions is not feasible," he added.

The gates were opened 5 hours later, at 8:30pm.

Alauddin, one of the protesters, said, "We wrap up our protest for today. Our only demand is permanent jobs. Initially hired for a six-month project, our temporary roles have stretched to five years due to repeated extensions. 

"Despite promises of regularisation, many of us are now ineligible for government jobs.

"We haven't been paid since December 2024. Although we were assured by the director general that we could continue working, four months have passed without an official extension, and we remain unpaid," he added.

According to DGHS sources, a total of 1,004 emergency personnel – including doctors, lab consultants, nurses, medical technologists, data entry operators, lab attendants, caretakers, and cleaners – were part of the ERPP project.