While doctors and nurses have been lauded during the pandemic, ASHA workers, who have been battling Covid-19 in rural India, are neglected. Will the overworked and underpaid health activists get the acknowledgment and respect they deserve?
Lakshmi Vaghela (right) is the only Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) for the Waghjipur village of 1,000 people in Gujarat
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The second Covid-19 wave saw India doffing her hat to the medical fraternity—doctors and nurses who worked round-the-clock to save lives. However, the contribution of ASHA workers, who have been battling the virus in rural areas since last year, remain unacknowledged and forgotten.Not only are they underpaid and overworked, but they have also been subjected to violence and abuse. Recently, an ASHA worker in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, was abused and assaulted while collecting details of local residents for Covid-19 vaccination. The frontline workers say verbal abuses are even more common. “They’ve been facing this issue since last year. People are scared of them… they either shoo them away or shut the door on their face. But ASHAs continue to perform their duties. They don’t deserve to be treated like this. Strict action should be taken against those who use violence,” says BV Vijayalakshmi, general secretary of the National Federation of ASHA Workers. “They are the actual warriors in this fight [against Covid-19]. In fact, they’re not even given insurance. Nothing has been given to ASHA workers who passed away. Even if something happens to their family members, the government should provide help. The additional incentives announced last year haven’t been given till now.” In June, more than 68,000 ASHA workers and community health activists in Maharashtra went on a week-long strike till the state agreed to fulfil their demands, which included a salary hike, among other things. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced an increment of Rs 1,000 in their wages and Rs 500 as Covid-19 allowance per month from July onward. He also promised them a smartphone. Additionally, Tope declared Rs 50 lakh compensation for family members of ASHA workers who passed away due to Covid-19.****
ASHAs are one of the most under-appreciated last-mile workers and it’s a model that can be replicated in any part of the world, says Hande. “ASHAs are knowledge-heavy people, but just because they don’t have a LinkedIn resume, we don’t give them enough importance.”