Home / Health / Health Risk Looms as Hospital Cleaners Strike Indefinitely
Health Risk Looms as Hospital Cleaners Strike Indefinitely
6 Aug
Summary
- Sanitation workers strike after three months of unpaid wages.
- Hospital hygiene services, including medical waste disposal, are disrupted.
- Punjab government urged to intervene for immediate salary release.
Sanitation workers at Taxila Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital and Wah General Hospital have initiated an indefinite strike, protesting three months of withheld wages. This action has critically impacted sanitation services within both public healthcare facilities.
Routine cleaning, ward maintenance, hazardous medical waste disposal, and disinfection efforts have been suspended or drastically reduced. This situation is causing significant concern among patients, their families, and healthcare professionals regarding the potential spread of infections and diseases.
The striking employees emphasized that repeated appeals to the contractor and relevant authorities have yielded no resolution, leaving them with no alternative but to halt work. They are desperately seeking their unpaid salaries to meet basic needs.
Management stated that the Punjab health department outsourced cleaning services but has not yet released the necessary funds due to fiscal closures. Wages cannot be disbursed until the funds are allocated.
Affected staff implore the Punjab government and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene promptly, ensuring the release of overdue salaries to restore normal sanitation operations.
