In a stark irony, employees running Himachal Pradesh’s flagship Mukhyamantri Nidan Yojana are protesting unpaid wages, crippling lab services at Una’s regional hospital. The scheme promises affordable diagnostics for the masses, yet its private operator, Krishna Lab, has failed to pay staff for two months, sparking a three-hour strike that exposed deep financial woes.
Workers from remote areas like Dudhraj commute daily to Una, living in rented homes and struggling with bills, groceries, and family needs without December and January salaries. Repeated pleas to management yielded only empty promises, culminating in Tuesday’s action from 9 AM to noon, halting all lab operations.
‘We’ve begged for our dues, but nothing happens,’ said Narendra Kumar, a lab technician facing eviction threats from his landlord. Colleague Sanjana added the agony of unpaid education fees amid mounting household debts. The group warns of escalated protests if permanent fixes aren’t implemented soon.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Verma confirmed no prior notice of the strike but assured patients face no disruptions, with government labs covering essential tests. Hospital authorities are monitoring closely to safeguard public health services.
This episode raises tough questions about the sustainability of public-private partnerships in healthcare. As employees fight for basic survival, the scheme’s goal of accessible diagnostics hangs in balance, demanding urgent government intervention to restore trust and functionality.