Vijayawada: It's only the name that they are government employees, they neither enjoy a decent salary nor get perks and benefits offered by the government. Not to mention the class has several thousands of people hired by the government and working for literally peanuts - a wage of Rs. 500 per month.
No joke but Accredited Social Health Activists (Asha Workers or volunteers), are a community health workers instituted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under GOI as part of the National Rural Health Mission. They are hired by respective state governments for only as low as Rs. 500 wage per month.
If you thought that Asha workers do nothing, you are mistaken, the Asha workers, most of them who are from SC and BC backgrounds and from the other economically weaker sections regularly follow up with the pregnant ladies in their respective villages and see that they join the government hospitals as the due date for their delivery comes.
They get monthly salaries of Rs. 500 if only they managed to convince pregnant women to opt for the public health centres and hospitals for regular medical check ups and deliveries. Even after delivery they need to follow up with the health of the newborn babies too for about one year and remind them of the timely vaccinations.
It is for such tough challenges, we see thousands of Asha workers protesting for hike in their salaries. Justified know?
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