The Government’s Covid-19 fight has hit a major hurdle with around six lakh ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers going on a two-day strike from Friday, protesting late and paltry payment besides lack of protection equipment from infection.
There are around ten lakh ASHA workers across the country who have been playing a key role in contact-tracing, conducting surveys, and organising of awareness schemes for the pandemic. They have also been involved in screening inter-state passengers, migrant workers, and others in the community for symptoms of the virus in their respective States.
While the Central Government has been hailing ASHAs as a crucial pillar in the State Governments’ success in combating the virus, these workers claim they have remained a neglected lot both during pre-Covid era as well in the current scenario.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been sporadic protests and strikes by ASHA workers. For instance, in July, around 40,000 ASHA workers went on strike in Karnataka to demand better safety equipment and a hike in fixed salary to Rs 12,000.
However, this is for the first time that the ASHA workers have gone on strike in such a large number and stopped work citing negligence on the part of the Government to their demand.
The workers under the banner of ten trade unions including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC are protesting inadequate assistance from the government in the fight against Covid-19, including lack of safety equipment, payment of salary and even risk allowance. The workers are also opposing moves to privatise basic services at government hospitals and in nutrition schemes.