The association of Asha workers of the State Health Department will decide their future course of action on the ‘Asha condom’ issue on Monday.
In a fire-fighting exercise, Chief Minister Harish Rawat has ordered that the distribution of the controversial Asha condom should immediately be stopped and the stocks recalled by the department.
The State president of the Association of Uttarakhand Asha Workers, Shiva Dubey told The Pioneer that the association has convened a meeting of all office-bearers to discuss the issue. “We will discuss the issue, including the declaration of the Chief Minister, and decide on the future course of action,’’ she said.
Dubey said that more than 11,000 Asha workers were hurt and humiliated by the decision to distribute Asha condoms at the health centres.
She said that the workers are working on paltry commission and a State Government decision to provide annual incentive is pending for the last three years.
The State Government had announced that a sum of `5,000 per year would be given to all Asha workers but barring one year the Ashas were not paid the promised sum. Dubey said that all the problems of the Ashas would be discussed at the meeting of Monday.
The Asha workers of the State were peeved over the Health Department’s move to distribute condoms named ‘Asha condoms’ under a national population stabilisation fortnight which kick-started on July 11.
Under fire from fuming Asha workers, the State Health Department shifted the blame on to the Union Health Ministry which dispatched these condoms.