The ASHA Workers of Gajapati district held a rally and submitted a memorandum in Paralakhemundi here. Led by Gajapati district ASHA Workers Association president Samikhya Gamango, they protested the manner they are defamed.
The protestors said that they were forced to collect money from relatives of the pregnant women while facilitating their institutional delivery. They alleged that the higher authorities ask them to do so and refuse to give their counter signature if not paid some amount of money. As a result, they were collecting Rs 3,000 per patient.
Particularly, while admitting maternity care patients the ASHA workers’ signatures are required on the specified documents. So for that signature, they are asked to bargain with the patients for Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per case. “If we cannot collect the sum of money, the higher authorities refuse to give their counter signatures,” alleged an agitator.
She further added that the ASHA workers are also forced to refer cases to Brahmapur or Vishakhapattanam for vested interests of the higher-ups in which the patients have had to face financial strains.
