Show hope for ASHAs

Over 25,000 ASHA workers in Telangana are on strike for more than 100 days. The state government, which was sympathetic to government employees and RTC workers, is somehow indifferent to these helpless women mostly coming from marginalised communities. Thousands of ASHAs are to congregate in Hyderabad tomorrow in a bid to intensify their agitation. ASHA stands for Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA).

There are over 9 lakh citizens working as ASHAs who constitute the grassroots workers in the National Health Mission (NHM). The scheme aims at improving the basic health services of rural population. These workers act as a link between the rural, urban poor and public health services imparting basic health education. Despite performing multiple roles, the ASHA workers are considered as volunteers to deny them minimum wages.

A rural ASHA gets remuneration in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 800 in Telangana while the urban ASHA gets around Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. Interestingly, ASHA workers with such a pittance payment have to take care of the health of rural masses. But, what about their healthy living? ASHA workers play an important role in improving the health indices, especially institutional deliveries and decreasing infant and maternal mortality rates.

The 45th Indian Labour Conference recommended that ASHAs should be recognised as workers and paid minimum wages along with social security. But, governments have simply ignored this recommendation. The Government of India has reduced the budget for the NHM by 25 percent in the current year’s budget shattering the hopes of ASHA workers for a better deal.

The Socio Economic Outlook of the Government of Telangana 2015, stated that a number of health indicators in Telangana need to be addressed for improvement. For instance, in six out of ten districts of the state, the infant and maternal mortality rate is found to be much higher than national average. Therefore, the services of ASHA workers are crucial to improve the health profile of Telangana.

The state government is evasive by arguing that it is a central scheme and the state government has no role. But, the same state government has increased the wages of Anganwadis which is also a central scheme. The Rajasthan government pays an additional amount of Rs 1,450 while the West Bengal pays Rs 1,300. Similarly, Kerala pays Rs 1,000 and Haryana pays Rs 500 as additional allowance besides the Centre’s payment. Why can’t the rich state like Telangana do the same.

The state government claims that Telangana leads the nation in welfare spending. But, it is indifferent to the concerns of ASHA workers. In fact, KCR promised a monthly remuneration of Rs 5,000 during the election campaign. A government that pays Rs 1,000 as pension for the old and the widows refuses to pay the poor ASHAs who render services to the State. Such apathy towards these poor workers is certainly unacceptable.