Members of ASHA Workers Union supported by CITU on December 14 launched a 36-hour ‘Maha Dharna’ near Gandhi Statue at the GVMC building demanding that the State government resolve their issues.
ASHA workers gathered in large numbers at the venue from urban and rural areas of the district. Their major demands include increasing their salary to ₹26,000, reducing work pressure, granting government holidays, providing ₹5 lakh retirement benefits, ₹10 lakh group insurance and increase in retirement age to 62.
AP ASHA Workers Union-Visakhapatnam president Padma said that the government has failed to give due recognition and benefits to ASHA workers who have been working tirelessly for the people for the last 18 years. Moreover, upon reaching 60 years of age, they were forced to retire without any benefits. There is no financial assistance from the government even when an ASHA worker loses her life while on duty, the protesters alleged.
Some ASHA workers demanded that the government consider community health workers as ASHA workers. Secretary V. Mary alleged that ASHA workers have been working at the village clinics from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are being asked to work as attenders, assist in outpatient services, and are made to clean village clinics. Moreover, on some occasions, the workers were being forced to pay from their pockets to purchase records.
CPI(M) district general secretary M. Jaggu Naidu and CITU general secretary R.K.S.V. Kumar expressed solidarity with the protesters. They said that it was the ASHA workers who were the frontline warriors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government,. instead of recognising their contributions and giving them all support, was causing them hardships, they said.
Published - December 14, 2023 09:27 pm IST
