A union of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) has written to Telangana Health Commissioner, complaining that they have been directed to feed survey reports online but not given smartphones or digital tablets to facilitate the process.
ASHAs conduct door-to-door survey to collect information on health status of the population such as blood pressure, sugar levels, pregnancy, etc. They played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic too. Earlier, they used to log the details in notebooks. “Now, we have been asked to upload details online, but not provided phones to do so,” an ASHA said.
In a letter addressed to Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Vakati Karuna, members of the Telangana Voluntary and Community Health Workers Union alleged that officials asked them to make do with the phones of their family members. “When government wants a certain work done, the responsibility of providing the required material comes with it. It’s not reasonable to exert pressure without providing phones. We request this issue to be resolved,” the association members stated in the representation.
Union president P. Jayalakshmi said they submitted the representation to Ms Karuna, who has assured sanction of smartphones for the purpose.
Union members have also requested fixed salaries instead of work-based incentives of ₹7,500. “We request a decision to be taken in the upcoming Assembly session to provide a fixed salary of ₹10,000 to ASHAs. Please fix a job chart and holidays, and provide pension, ESI Health Scheme, and job security,” the union members demanded.