SHILLONG, AUG 27: A day after chief minister Mukul Sangma appealed agitating Malaria Programme Workers (MPWs) under the banner of All Meghalaya Malaria Programme Workers Association (AMMPWA) on Saturday suspended their indefinite fast with a reminder to the state government that malaria is more deadly than militancy.
The MPWs have been demanding that the state government to absorbed them in regular posts in the health department, as per the centre government’s instruction, on expiry of the centrally sponsored programme.
Meghalaya is one among the 17 states which the centre had allotted contractual MPWs (mainly male) to be placed at high malaria endemic areas for improvement of surveillance and effective implementation of Vector Borne Disease Programme.
“As a mark of respect to the chief minister, we have decided to temporary suspend our indefinite hunger strike,” AMMPWA general secretary Alan Kharbani told reporters at a news conference on Saturday.
The association has also decided to serve a deadline till September 8, for the state government to officially invite them for talks.
“We expect the chief minister and the new health minister Roshan Warjri to invite us for talks,” he said while informing that if they fail to invite, the members would continue with the indefinite hunger strike in front of the main secretariat.
While appealing to the MPWs to withdraw their agitation, Sangma had informed the health department has been directed to examine and provide with proposal on how to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the association has also claimed that deaths related to malaria cases is on the rise in the past two years ever since the services of the MPWs was stopped in September 2014.-
Informing that as per RTI report, at least 10 people affected by malaria died every month, association publicity secretary B Lyngdoh said, “The government should realized that malaria is more deadly than militancy in the state.” He said that the state government is ready to take off their jobs instead of utilizing the services as they are already equipped with the knowledge and skill to reduce the incidents of malaria cases.
According to him, people residing in the border area are the most vulnerable to malaria besides the five districts of Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi, Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills region.By Our Reporter
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