ASHA workers engaged in Covid-19 battle to get extra incentive

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 9

The foot soldiers of the fight against COVID-19 — accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers — will now get Rs 2,500 monthly incentive for extra efforts they put in for the battle against coronavirus, which has claimed hundreds of lives.

The Punjab National Health Mission (NHM) announced that they would get Rs 1,500 for the house-to-house corona survey while Rs 1,000 for "extra work" of handling the other corona related updating.

 The incentive for door-to-door survey will be given from April to June while incentives for other work will be paid to them from the month of January to June.

 The announcement came after The Tribune highlighted that ASHA workers were not being paid for their extra work during the corona time.   

Besides, the state government has also announced a financial help of Rs 10,000 – in case ASHA worker or AHSA facilitator get the corona infection. Notably, four ASHA workers, few days ago, have already been tested positive for coronavirus in Moga.      

 ASHA workers plays a vital role in awareness, data collection and surveillance at the rural level. In fact, each ASHA worker has to visit around 30-50 households daily to create awareness about Coronavirus and collect data for the health department. Moreover, regular advisories issued by the health department are also being conveyed to each household at villages by ASHA workers only.    

Meantime, if an ASHA worker or ASHA facilitator dies due to coronavirus in the line of the duty, their family members will get Rs 50 lakh, says NHM -- in a letter to all the Civil Surgeons. 

 Paramjeet Maan, ASHA worker union president, said, “Finally, the government paid heed to our demand of paying for the corona duty. We are thankful to them. We had to hold silent protest for our demands, but we never stopped our work.”  

Director, National Health Mission Punjab, Dr Parvinder Sidhu said, “They are actually working day and night. The government, therefore, has decided to give them incentives for their extraordinary work.”