Accredited Social Health Activist:
ASHA workers have been on an indefinite stir in front of the Kerala government secretariat over the last several days demanding an increase of their monthly remuneration to Rs 21,000, retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh and other basic benefits.
- ASHA is a trained female community health activist.
- The ASHA program is funded by the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) in an effort to promote public health awareness amongst local, rural populations, and increase the utilization and accountability of existing health services.
- Selected from the community itself and accountable to it, the ASHA worker is trained to work as an interface between the community and the public health system.
- They Act as a care provider at the community level
- They Facilitating access to healthcare, medicine, and sanitation services
- They Raising the level of awareness of health issues among the marginalised sections within the community
- They Advocate for female health and hygiene standards
- They Advocate for a health-conscious behaviour and approach to livelihood
- The ASHA scheme is presently in place in all States/UTs (except Goa).
- The States are mandated to employ at least one ASHA worker per every 1000 people.
- They receive basic public health training and are equipped with a standard drug kit, which allows them to deliver first-contact healthcare.
- They are chosen through a rigorous process of selection involving various community groups, self-help groups, Anganwadi Institutions, Block Nodal officer, District Nodal officer, the village Health Committee, and the Gram Sabha.
- On average, an ASHA worker’s monthly income varies from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 7,000 per month, depending on the state.she is eligible for incentives offered under various national health programmes.
