ITANAGAR, 22 Jul: The All Arunachal Pradesh Employed Health Assistant Association (AAPEHAA) has expressed discontent over the direct mode of recruitment for the post of community health officer (CHO) on contractual basis for AYUSH health & wellness centres, saying that the health department’s decision “compromises the rights of health assistants and ANMs.”
The association also appealed to the health services director to change the nomenclature of the contractual community health officer (AYUSH) to health & wellness officer (AYUSH) or any other name to ensure that the future of the serving health assistants and ANMs is not affected.
In a representation to the health services director, the association on Thursday stated that, according to the notified recruitment rules (RR), “the post of CHO is 100 percent promotional post and there is no provision for direct recruitment for CHO posts.”
“As per existing RR of CHO, feeder posts like senior health assistant, health inspector, lady health visitor, paramedical assistant, assistant malaria officer and PMW can only be promoted to the post of CHO. Our apprehension is that the contractual CHOs appointed for AYUSH health & wellness centres under the National AYUSH Mission would also demand regularization of their services in the future. At that time, on what basis would they be appointed as the existing RR of the CHO post does not prescribe direct recruitment?” the association sought to know.
“Direct appointment of a junior (CHO AYUSH) to the post of CHO (regular) would be in violation of the existing recruitment rules and doing so would deprive the senior most aspirants of promotion,” stated the association.
