Health Professional Allowance for NICH Employees Approved

KARACHI - Sindh Government has approved Health Professional Allowance (half basic pay) per month for staff of National Institute of Child Health (NICH).

A notification issued by the Sindh government, dated January 23, 2018, states that with the approval of the chief minister, the Government of Sindh is pleased to allow payment of Health Professional allowance (half of the basic pay) per month to the employees of the devolved cadre of the NICH with immediate effect.

The doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and other staff of National Institute of Child Health(NICH) was deprived of several allowances as the status of this health facility  was remained unclear after they were devolved to the provincial government through the 18th constitutional amendment.

President, Young Nurses Association (YNA), Sindh, Ajaz Ali Kelari and President  Employees Action Committee, NICH, Zaryab Hayat Tiwana thanked hospital administration and high ups of Sindh health department for resolving the longstanding matter of health allowance and hoped that other pending issues would also be resolved soon.

Earlier, Sindh government had issued a notification on  January 1, 2018, stated that with the approval of the chief minister the Government of Sindh is pleased to allow payment of Health Professional Allowance at the rate of half of the basic pay per month to the employees of the devolved cadre of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) .

This controversial decision sparked protest in National Institute of Child Health (NICH) as doctors, paramedical staff, nurses and support staff rejected the decision. They had also observed complete strike for two hours against double standard of Sindh health department in context payment of health allowance.