Demand Salary Hike…
Bhopal: Thousands of ASHA workers are on strike across Madhya Pradesh demanding a hike in their monthly salary and permanent employment status.
The Accredited Social Health Activists, who are a crucial bridge in the public access to rural healthcare across the Nation, are currently paid a monthly stipend of Rs. 2,000 only, besides extra incentives for deliveries.
"We get Rs. 2,000 and that is not enough for us. We do all the data collection for the government, but they are neither interested in recognizing us as government employees nor giving us minimum wages for our work," said Sangeeta Malviya, an ASHA worker.
"We worked during the Covid-19 pandemic, did surveys for tuberculosis and leprosy, worked for the Ayushman Bharat scheme," she added.
The strike has become a cause of worry for pregnant women in the state as the ASHA workers are tasked to get them vaccinated for the same.
"I got vaccinated in March and was supposed to get another dose in April.
But since last month, no one has come. I am worried about the health of my child," said Ghazala B, who lives in the Agar-Malwa district.
In Dewas, the protesting ASHA workers played horns in front of a buffalo that was labelled as government.
The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.