Raw deal for ASHAs: Kerala to retire them at 62 without benefits

Thiruvananthapuram: The services of trained female community health activists, popularly known after the acronym ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activitist) are critical for the public health system. Unfortunately, their lot in Kerala which brags of a robust healthcare system leaves much to be desired.

The State Government has decided to end the services of ASHAs at the age of 62 without paying them any benefits. An order has been issued to this effect after approving the guidelines drafted by the Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) in this regard. Out of the total strength of 26,539 persons - all women - 259 will retire next month when they complete 62 years of age.

In Bengal where the retirement age of ASHAs was fixed as 65 in 2020, they receive Rs 3 lakh as a consolation amount. Even though organisations of the ASHAs had demanded during a meeting with the Minister for Health that such retirement benefits should be extended in Kerala too, no favourable decision has been taken.

Unfair norms
The guidelines were issued on the basis of the report of the committee that was constituted to study the working of ASHAs.
The order also includes the condition that if the incentive for field activities falls below Rs 500 for three consecutive months, the community health worker will be out of work. If the work is not improved even three months after the medical officer issues a notice, she will be terminated from service.

ASHAs point out that owing to the fall in the birth rates, it is not possible to earn Rs 500 as incentive in many wards. In fact, many persons are facing the threat of losing their jobs due to this. However, this condition is not applicable to ASHAs who work in tribal habitations.

In Kerala, an ASHA receives Rs 6,000 as honorarium and Rs 2,000 as incentive from the Centre. The State government’s monthly incentive does not cross Rs 1,000. The total emoluments are less than Rs 9,000. Even this is not paid on time. Some persons have been in the field for over a quarter century, including those who had been volunteers under the Mahila Social Service project.

Ironically, the women who work for paltry wages for decades are being sent out of service empty-handed when the members of the personal staff of Ministers who are taken on board through political appointments without following any norms, receive pension and other benefits after completing a mere two years of service.

The ASHA project was launched in 2007. It is through ASHAs the different health services of the government are taken to the people and their participation in them is ensured. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they took medicines to the houses of patients, collected details of the patients and prepared route maps.