In 2005, the government created Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), with the term “hope” in their name to signify promise for rural India’s health care.
ASHAs handle a wide range of responsibilities, including birth and death data, health interventions, maternal and child health, sanitation, and disease monitoring.
ASHAs played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, gaining significant recognition, and were awarded the WHO Director-General’s Global Health Leaders Award in 2022.
A study found that women connected with ASHAs are 1.6 times more likely to access maternal services and have a safer institutional delivery.
Despite their essential work, ASHAs are still treated as volunteers, earning ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 per month, with incentives for specific tasks.
In 2018, the government introduced a benefit package for ASHAs, covering accidents, death, and disability, but it hasn’t addressed their overall compensation issues.
ASHAs work long hours, travel long distances, often miss meals, and have little time for their own health, while receiving inadequate pay.
ASHAs continue to protest for fair wages and better treatment, highlighting their role as crucial health workers despite being labeled as volunteers.
The article argues that ASHAs should be treated as permanent employees, receiving proper compensation and benefits comparable to government workers.
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