ASHAs' strike completes 100 days
Poet Rosemary inaugurated the protest by lighting a torch. Representatives of the ASHAs expressed their resolve to continue the strike till their demands were met.
The ASHAs, under the umbrella of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers' Association (KAHWA), have been agitating since February demanding an increase in their honorarium and retirement benefits. During this period, their protest has assumed several forms from Assembly march and offering Pongala to tonsuring heads and staging hunger agitation. The ASHAs are now two weeks into a day-night protest march from Kasaragod.
At the Secretariat, a 100-day protest meeting was presided over by KAHWA vice-president S. Mini.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph addressed the striking ASHAs. Leaders of the ASHAs also spoke.
Shafi Parambil, MP; P.C. Vishnunath and Mathew Kuzhalnadan, MLAs; District Congress Committee president Palode Ravi; former Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar; and other Congress leaders M. Liju, T. Sarathchandra Prasad, and Kaimanam Prabhakaran; and Mahila Congress leader Lakshmi spoke.
Meanwhile, the day-night protest march that reached Palakkad on Monday will continue there on Wednesday before entering Thrissur.
The government had recently constituted a five-member committee to study the demands of the ASHAs and submit a report within three months.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Medical teams deployed in flood-affected areas across Punjab
Chandigarh: In response to flood-like conditions affecting several districts, Punjab health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh announced on Sunday that 438 rapid response teams (RRTs), 323 mobile medical teams, and 172 ambulances have been mobilised to ensure timely medical aid in affected regions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Addressing a press conference, Dr Singh said, "Our priority is to reach every person in need and ensure no one is left without medical help during these critical times. Punjab is fully prepared to meet any health emergency arising due to floods." Highlighting swift intervention in Gurdaspur, the minister said, "When seven villages were cut off due to rising waters, the health department introduced the innovative concept of boat ambulances. This quick response helped us rescue eight pregnant women, one of whom safely delivered her child under medical supervision. Similar measures have been implemented in the flood-hit island of Kalu in Ferozepur." He added that medical preparedness was further strengthened through health camps set up in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur, where 241 patients have already received treatment. "These cases included diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, fever, skin allergies, and eye infections," he said. "With over 2,000 hospital beds kept ready across districts, the state has created a strong buffer to tackle any possible epidemic." Reassuring citizens about water-borne diseases, Dr Singh said, "So far, we have seen only sporadic cases. However, people must remain vigilant. Health staff, ASHAs (accredited social health activists), and peripheral centres are well-equipped with chlorine tablets, ORS (oral rehydration solution), and essential medicines. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In case the number of cases rises in any particular pocket, we have seamless linkages to secondary and tertiary care hospitals for immediate treatment. " He also urged people to use the govt's 104 toll-free helpline to report health issues and seek assistance. "Every household should consume only boiled or chlorinated water, request health teams for water quality testing, and avoid stale food to prevent the spread of diseases," he added.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh government approves gratuity, maternity leave, and higher retirement age for ASHAs
In line with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's announcement in March this year, the Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday, August 12, approved key welfare measures for Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) — including gratuity, paid maternity leave, and an increase in their retirement age. According to an official press release from the Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, the government will provide gratuity of up to ₹5,000 per year, amounting to a total of ₹1.5 lakh at the time of retirement. With around 43,000 ASHAs in the State, the annual outlay for gratuity will amount to ₹645 crore. The government has also sanctioned six months of paid maternity leave for the first two deliveries and increased the retirement age for ASHAs from 60 to 62 years — addressing long-standing demands that had led to State-wide protests towards the end of 2023. Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Minister Satya Kumar Yadav thanked the Chief Minister for sanctioning the gratuity funds despite the State's financial challenges, noting that the decision reflects a strong commitment to the welfare of ASHA workers.
Hindustan Times
09-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
PMC intensifies active surveillance for malaria
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) distributed 193 malaria testing kits to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers on Thursday. They will now take samples of suspected patients from the community as part of active malaria surveillance, said the officials. As per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), civic health departments are expected to conduct both active and passive malaria surveillance. As part of passive surveillance, patients visiting the outpatient department and fever clinics in civic hospitals are tested for malaria. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) As per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), civic health departments are expected to conduct both active and passive malaria surveillance. As part of passive surveillance, patients visiting the outpatient department and fever clinics in civic hospitals are tested for malaria. In Pune city, however, the active surveillance rate has remained critically low at 3 per cent for the last three years. A senior health official from PMC, on request of anonymity, said the civic body has purchased over 200 kits for malaria testing. 'The ASHAs have undergone training to handle and send samples of suspected malaria patients for testing. PMC on Thursday distributed 193 malaria testing kits to ASHAs, as a step to strengthen its active malaria surveillance,' he said. Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer of PMC and head of vector-borne diseases control programme, said, 'Samples taken during the initial period help us identify the malaria parasites in the blood of the infected patient.' Dr Dighe further informed that there is also a possibility that if there is a delay in identifying the malaria cases, it could be late, and the infection is likely to be spread to other people. 'Intensified mosquito management activities in an area are conducted after a patient tests positive,' he said.
