Day 14 of strike: 200 ASHA workers demonstrate at PMC main building

The main demands relate to—regularisation as employees of the health department, a festival ex-gratia of Rs 5,000, minimum wages and social protection as per recommendation of the 45th Indian Labour Conference, and withdrawal of compulsory online work. The strike will continue its 14th day tomorrow.

“This is a fight for our rights and respect,” adds Renuka Naik, ASHA worker from Janata Vasahat. Be it Swati Sapkal from Pashan Dispensary or Sheetal Pawar from Vasant More dispensary in Sukhsagar nagar, these ASHA workers are a community of female healthcare activists trained to facilitate the work of the nationwide public health system within their community. ASHA workers are a core part of the National Rural Health Mission, Government of India, and they go door-to-door in their respective areas creating awareness about nutrition, hygiene practices and health services available.

In Pune city there are approximately 362 ASHA workers. Dr Bhagwan Pawar, chief medical officer, PMC, told The Indian Express that the ongoing strike would not affect services, he also met the delegation of CITU affiliated Asha Workers Union and assured them he would look into their demands.

Kiran Moghe,Vice President, Asha Workers’ Union Pune District (CITU) told The Indian Express that the Union has expressed deep concern about the rude behaviour and depreciative treatment given to ASHA workers by some members of PMC Health department, including doctors, nurses, ANMs, computer operators and others.

“Some workers are being threatened with dismissal. The delegation pointed out that Asha workers have a constitutional right to form a union and press for their demands, and demanded that they should not be victimised for it,” Moghe said. Dr Pawar assured the delegation that an effort will be made to clear all pending dues for their work including their wages, dues for TB and leprosy survey. He agreed to provide the ASHA workers with details of payments made to them and also look into the issue of arbitrary deductions. The delegation pointed out that every ASHA worker was losing Rs 450 per month because PMC had not set up Mahila Arogya Samitis, for no fault of theirs.

While the government often demands all types of data from records kept by ASHA workers, it does not provide them with printed registers or adequate allowances for photocopying and data for online submission, several ASHA workers pointed out. The Union has demanded that they make a provision for these expenses from its own budget. Other issues such as lack of clarity about providing services to areas not covered by existing Asha workers, loss of benefit to ANC patients who are sent to Kamla Nehru and Sassoon hospitals, or those who are not JSY beneficiaries, provision of Asha kits, arbitrary deductions by supervisory staff, and others were also raised.