AP: ASHA workers protest outside DMHO office over unmet demands

Kakinada: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers staged a protest on Monday by laying siege to the District Medical Health Officer's office in Andhra Pradesh, demanding that the state government address their long-pending demands.

Organised by the CITU, the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) raised slogans against the state government for cheating them by going back on its election eve promise to implement welfare schemes for them.

They demanded that Thalliki Vandanam scheme benefits be extended to them and also sanction of pensions for the elders and disabled in the family, besides house sites and ration cards, news agency UNI reported.

Also Read:ASHA workers reject committee proposal, protest continues

Union president G Baby Rani, while addressing the protesters, demanded that the government desist from fixing targets for the Asha workers on registering pregnant women.

She also demanded payment of additional wages for the additional work.

Baby Rani warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government did not change the CF-MS recording that became a hindrance for the implementation of welfare schemes to Asha workers.

Later, they called on the DMHO, Dr Narasimha Naik and presented a memorandum listing out their demands.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the protesting Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers have rejected the government's proposal to form a committee to address their demands and work-related issues, opting to continue their protest. The third round of discussions between Kerala Health Minister Veena George and the ASHA workers also failed to reach an agreement. Two earlier rounds of discussions between the minister and the protesting Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers had also ended without an agreement.

After the fresh round of discussions, which included Finance Minister K N Balagopal—who joined virtually from Madurai—and representatives of various trade unions, George told reporters that the government proposed setting up a committee to examine the demands and work-related problems of ASHA workers and submit a report with its recommendations within three months.

Also Read:State, Union Health Minister's meeting Clears Path for Talks with ASHA Workers