Nearly 2,500 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (formerly Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres) from across the state remained closed on Monday after their Community Health Officers (CHOs) went on an indefinite strike to protest against government policies.Dr Shivraj Singh, state cashier, Novel Integrated Association of Community Health Officers (NAICHO), Punjab, said the state’s CHOs had been performing their services under the Health Department and the National Health Mission (NHM) for the last many years with full dedication. CHOs have a significant contribution in making the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and TB, NCD and Maternal and Child Health national health programmes of the state successful, he added.”Our main demands are the implementation of ‘Equal Work, Equal Wages’ for NHM employees, restoration of loyalty bonuses, immediate withdrawal of newly issued incentive performa, sectioning of posts and cadre of CHOs, merging of salary and incentive and lifting of ban on private practice imposed on CHOs with BAMS qualification,” said Dr Shivraj, adding that several representations had been submitted to the authorities but no action had been taken.”Due to continuous neglect by the government and the department, all the CHOs of Punjab have been forced to take the path of struggle. Accordingly, all CHOs have stopped work from June 22 and we will continue our strike till our demands are answered,” said Dr Shivraj.