Members of Tamil Nadu Accredited Social Health Activist Workers Association on Monday staged a protest in front of the Collectorate here pressing for a charter of demands.
Association State president T. Daisy said it was too unfortunate that ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers were paid meagre incentives against a rightful monthly salary. “We demand ₹18,000 as monthly salary and be regularised. If not, we request the State to hike the present incentive of ₹2,150 to ₹10,000, as paid by Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.”
The protestors also demanded that an allowance of ₹500 be given to ASHA workers engaged at COVID-19 vaccination camps. “Only Village Health Nurses are paid, while ASHA workers go home empty-handed after working all day,” said Ms Daisy.
They also called for continued payment of a monthly allowance of ₹1,000 to conduct door-to-door health surveys and screen people in containment zones when COVID-19 cases surged. “We are still asked to carry out the follow-ups but denied the allowance,” said S. Janaki, association district secretary.
They urged the government to include ASHA workers in Employees' State Insurance (ESI) and ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ initiative across the State and not restrict them to just Nilgiris and Tiruvannamalai districts. They also wanted revival of payment of ₹600 for postnatal follow-up and immunisation of the baby.
A few representatives submitted a petition to Collector S. Visakan and he assured them that he would look into the issue.
