Hailing the tireless efforts of the ASHA workers who worked at the grassroots level to save the state when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that at the time when the entire world was gripped with challenges posed by the pandemic, the ASHA workers remained on the “frontline” to save the state.
“ASHA bahen gave their services diligently during the peak of COVID-19 and because of their efforts the most populous state contained the spread of the virus efficiently and this gained appreciation even globally. ASHA workers are the backbone of the rural healthcare system and their contribution is unparalleled,” the chief minister said while inaugurating 'Aashaon ka Sammelan' and 80,000 smartphones distribution campaign in the state capital on Friday.
The chief minister went on to say that with the combined efforts of the state and Central governments, smartphones were being distributed to 80,000 ASHA sisters here and the remaining 80,000 smartphones would be provided in the second phase. He said this would help in reducing their burden of getting involved in unnecessary paperwork and would save their time and energy.
On the occasion, Yogi Adityanath also announced a significant hike in the monthly honorarium and incentives of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers. Along with an additional honorarium of Rs 500 per month to ASHA workers from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022 for their contribution in fighting against COVID-19, the state government will also double their usual pay from Rs 750 to Rs 1500 per month. With Rs 1,500 per month from the Central government, the ASHA workers will receive about Rs 6,000 per month taking into account all allowances. Besides, the contractual auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) who played a crucial role in vaccination and worked more than 60 days will receive a single-time Rs 10,000 honorarium.
The chief minister further said that by improving the health infrastructure, the government had paved the way for the development of the state, as no place could develop fully in the absence of medical resources. He said every district was on its way to having a medical college to provide accessible healthcare services to the citizens in the state.
“To provide proper medical treatment and healthcare facilities to every needy in the state, the government worked in a planned and phased manner to improve the existing healthcare system and expand the health infrastructure in the state as a result of which Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top performer in terms of incremental health performance,” the chief minister said.
Furthermore, the chief minister said that Uttar Pradesh, which was considered deficient in terms of presence of health and medical resources, was now marching towards being self-sufficient. He said over 551 oxygen plants had become operational throughout the state, making it self-reliant in oxygen generation. “In addition, earlier ICU beds were only present in just 26 districts, however, today this facility is available in all the 75 districts of the state, and medical colleges have come up in nearly 60 districts,” he added.
Reiterating the need for vaccination to fight against COVID-19, the chief minister urged the people to complete their vaccination to protect themselves against the disease.
“There is no need to worry about COVID-19, we just have to take precautions. The positivity rate in the state is below 0.05 per cent. Till now we have administered over 20 crore vaccine doses, which is the highest in the country. Full vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour will help us fight the pandemic,” Yogi said.
Medical Health and Family Welfare Minister Jai Pratap Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Amit Mohan Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal and other senior officials were present on the occasion.