• UGI USER
  • Feb 23, 2024
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THE WOMEN OF ASHA: OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID AND ON THE EDGE OF BREAKDOWN

Why in the news?

  • ASHA workers, crucial to India’s health schemes, face a triple burden—managing home, community, and health centers.
  • Their demanding schedule leads to inadequate nutrition, irregular meals, and insufficient sleep, putting them at risk of health issues.

About ASHA’s Role and Responsibilities:

  • Purpose :ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) is a community-level worker designed to be a health care facilitator and service provider.
  • Mission :
  • ASHA workers deliver essential services in maternal and child health, family planning, and contribute significantly to the National Disease Control Programme.
  • Vocation :
  • All ASHA workers, predominantly women, serve populations, with a standard ratio of “1 ASHA per 1000 population” in most areas.
  • Adjustments to this norm are made in tribal, hilly, and desert areas based on the workload, allowing flexibility like “1 ASHA per habitation.”
About Evolution and Expansion of the ASHA Program:

·    The ASHA program was initiated in 2005-06 under the National Rural Health Mission, primarily focusing on rural areas.

·    Later, with the inception of the National Urban Health Mission in 2013, the ASHA program expanded its reach to urban settings.

·    The ASHA program has evolved into the world’s largest community health worker initiative, recognized as a critical contribution to promoting people’s active participation in health matters.