Amidst the stalemate between protesting ASHA workers and Meghalaya Government, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday has asked the health Department officers to notify the exact assignments of ASHAs, out of which other health volunteers like Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANMs) and Mid-Level Health Providers (MLHPs) and the village health councils should do it on their own.
The Minister also refuted the charges that the Meghalaya government has not done anything for the ASHA workers and said these volunteers have been given adequate monetary remuneration.
She said the Government of Meghalaya in 2021-2022 alone has shelled out Rs 16.32 crores for the fixed monthly incentives of ASHAs. Lyngdoh while addressing a press conference said, “The backlog in 2021-22 was Rs 53 crores which has also been cleared, including incentives under NHM of Rs 21.96 crores, and in all government has spent Rs 91.2 crores for the financial year 2021-22 on ASHAs.”
“In 2022-2023, the backlog is nil, still the Government is investing Rs 16.98 crores for monthly incentives of Rs 2000 for ASHAs and incentives under NHM and we have spent Rs 22. 68 crores for ASHAs alone, a total of Rs 40.5 crores, and because of the requirement of ASHAs across the 700 villages, there is a requirement of 7000 Asha’s across the state,” she added.
She said the engagement with ASHAs were more of voluntary in Nature and nobody has promised any payments to anyone and it has been made clear to every volunteer that they can come forward if they have time from their busy schedule because ASHAs are usually women who have families to take care, women who have engagements for employment generation.
“We reach out to women particularly because I can see 99.9 percent are women ASHAs so whenever they have free time to contribute towards the improvement and upliftment of heath in their own village. That was the nature of engagement between the NHM and our volunteers on the ground, there was no promise of any salary, there was no promise of anything beyond the activities that an ASHA is engaged with,” Lyngdoh added.
It may be mentioned that a protest rally was held at East Jaiñtia Hills by the East Jaiñtia ASHA Association under the aegis of the Meghalaya ASHA Union at Khliehriat, East Jaiñtia Hills, on Wednesday.