LAHORE: More than 20,000 women community health workers from all four provinces have united to form the Pakistan Community Health Workers Federation (PCHWF), the country’s first national community health workers union.
The National Union, to be launched on November 23, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle of the women who deliver primary health care across the country.
The women union leaders from the four provinces agreed to form the national federation to counter the common problems facing community health workers, polio workers and community midwives including the recent attacks on women polio workers, harassment, denial of minimum wages, delayed salaries, and lack of professional recognition.
The Lady Health Workers (LHW) program, initiated in 1994 by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has grown from 30,000 to over 125,000 workers. These workers serve as the backbone of Pakistan’s primary healthcare system, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Following a successful struggle that reached the Supreme Court, all Lady Health Workers achieved regularisation in 2012, marking their first major victory. Yet the polio workers are still denied regular wages, existing only on honorariums.
The global union federation, Public Services International (PSI), has been supporting community health workers to unionise and organise across Pakistan and supported the first union in Pakistan, the All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union, to become legally established. PSI’s Regional Secretary for the Asia Pacific region, Kate Lappin will attend the convention and address the workers.
“We work continuously in harsh weather conditions but we are not respected like humans. The unity of our federation will change the trend so we can gain our rights,” states Kinza Malik, a Polio Worker from Punjab Province and Secretary, Youth Affairs of PCHWF.
“We educate and vaccinate the community, but we are often ignored and neglected. With PCHWF as our united voice, we will fight for recognition, respect and fair treatment,” said Rifasiayt Bibi from the KPK Province and Chairperson, PCHWF.
“Daily, we walk for miles, facing threats and resistance as our work is to save lives. As a national federation, we demand safety, respect and acknowledgement of what we do. One of our major demands is for the Pakistan Government to announce service structure for all LHWs,” said Bibi Jan Baloch, a Lady Health Worker from Balochistan and Additional General Secretary of PCHWF.
“Our federation will not allow the government to out-source health facilities. Together we will protect public health services,” said Halima Leghari, Lady Health Supervisor from Sindh and President, PCHWF.
“The Federation will ensure the safety and security of all CHWs,” said Rahila Tabassum, a Lady Health Supervisor from Punjab and General Secretary of PCHWF.
“PSI congratulates the Community Health Workers across Pakistan who have organised themselves into a powerful National Union. These Women who dedicate themselves to improving public health, providing support to the most remote communities are undoubtedly entitled to respect, a living wage and a dignified retirement. We know that will only be achieved through the unity of workers, in Pakistan and across the world and we will proudly continue to work with them in solidarity.” Kate Lappin, Regional Secretary PSI.
The federation unites five major unions across Pakistan’s provinces:
Punjab Ladies Health Workers Union, Sheikhupura, Ladies Health Workers Union, Faisalabad,All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union, All Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Lady Health Workers and Staff Union and Balochistan Lady Health Workers Union.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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