Empowering the Frontline Health Workers
For more than a decade now an army of women have been leading the charge in changing the face of Indian healthcare system. Residing in the villages, donning local attire, these women are making major sections of rural India a healthier and a happier place to live in.
Selected from their peers and accountable to their own people, these workers play the role of community-level care providers, designated to spread awareness and promote hygiene as well as empower women and their families to adopt healthy living.
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) scheme was introduced by the Indian government’s National Rural Health Mission in 2005 to address the challenges of limited access to healthcare facilities and inadequate infrastructure. Ever since its initiation, the network of ASHA workers (these women) has expanded exponentially and at present there are over whopping 9 lakh of them in the country across 33 different states.
All thanks to the efficiency and dedication of these trained frontline care providers, the health outcomes have improved phenomenally. Despite the lack of trust in the system and resistance from the fellow villagers, these women relentlessly work to help change mindsets and promote good health practices.
However, there are many challenges faced by ASHAs which restricts, even dwindles their work. Right from convincing and counselling people, to delays in incentive payments to harassment from senior medical staff at district level are only but a few factors that not only demotivate them but hampers the implementation of health programme.
Moreover, quite regrettably, the women who have dedicated their lives in the service of the nation are compensated poorly for their actions and achievements.
Apart from this, the Primary Health Centres (PHC) they are linked to are often ill-equipped, at times understaffed and lacking basic medical necessities, which adversely affects trust building with the community.
Time and again, these ASHA workers have been voicing their concerns in the form of protests but not much heed has been paid. With low salaries and even lower incentives it is difficult to keep them motivated.
To tackle the issue of remuneration, the government has recently announced a hike in the monthly honorariums, which will come into effect from October this year. Even though it’s a welcome change, much more needs to be done to alleviate the concerns of this community.
Hopefully in the near future pertinent and effective measures are undertaken to improve their working conditions so they can continue to work with conviction.
Ketto & Women’s Empowerment
Since its inception, Ketto has been a strong proponent of empowering women in India. Click on the links below to view crowdfunding projects it has been involved with empowering women and bettering society. If you feel inspired, you can perhaps start your own project with Ketto as well.
Ketto Blog remains committed to inspiring and compelling social change to India’s most pressing problems through the power of great stories and engaging our audiences to take meaningful action.