After protest, AIDS PHCs not to be shut

Chennai: Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) contract employees protested in front of the office in Egmore on Thursday demanding job security, pay hike and freedom to be a part of the employees welfare association.

State general secretary of Tamil Nadu AIDS Society All Employees Welfare Association Ma Cheralathan said the Centre has directed the state to shut down more than 186 government testing centres because of the declining number of HIV/AIDS cases. “More than 300 lab technicians and counsellors will lose their jobs over this,”he said. “It will be difficult for patients to travel far for follow up tests or collecting medications which may lead to them skipping medications,” he said.

The employees said the government has not given the promised 10 per cent hike to employees working in primary health centres. “They have given it to ESIC employees already, but not to those in PHCs,” he said.

Later TANSACS managing director TN Hariharan spoke to the employees and handed out a letter withdrawing the order. He also promised that the government will temporarily shelve the idea of closing down PHCs. “The decision on pay hike will be made by the executive board of TANSACS soon,” it said.