Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek today appealed to grassroots health workers, known as ASHAs, to call off their indefinite strike so that the war against Covid-19 does not stall.
The accredited social health activists had launched an indefinite strike on Saturday in protest against non-payment of their meagre incentives. The ASHAs also want an enhancement in their pay.
As healthcare workers at the grassroots, ASHAs have a vital role to play in poor and largely rural Meghalaya and their importance only grew with the coming of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“My appeal is now we are in a war fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” Hek said today. “We have to firstly save the lives of the people. My humble request to all the ASHA workers is to resume their work and save human lives.”
ASHAs working in East Khasi Hills have not had their dues cleared by the government since December 2020. Those in other districts, the minister said, have received their dues up to March this year.
According to Hek, under the central share of National Health Mission, as Covid incentive, ASHAs receive Rs 1,000 per month and ASHA facilitators get Rs 500 per month.
