Immunisation drive hit as Asha workers go on strike

Just as the second phase of immunisation campaign ‘Mission Indradhanush’ has begun, Accredited Social Health Activists (Asha) across Karnataka have withdrawn support to the programme to protest the State government’s “indifference” to their demand for better working conditions.

As many as 20,000 Asha workers are on protest for over a week now in various parts of Karnataka, withdrawing support to most health programmes launched by the State and Union governments. They have raised a slew of demands: regularisation of service, better honorarium, allowance for mobile phones and sim cards, etc.

The protest is affecting ‘Mission Indradhanush’. In the first phase of the campaign, Asha workers had helped the Department of Health and Family Welfare in immunising children against seven vaccine-preventable diseases. They now say they will no longer support the campaign until their demands are met.

“We didn’t want children to suffer because of our strike. Hence, we have completed a part of the work. But we have now decided not to support the campaign in tracing the unimmunised children,” said D Nagalakshmi, general secretary of the State unit of Karnataka Asha Workers’ Union.

But it’s not just ‘Mission Indradhanush’ but also the overall healthcare system that has been crippled. In Chikkamagaluru, Koppal and Belagavi districts, institutional deliveries have come down as Asha workers are no longer motivating expectant mothers, Nagalakshmi said.

According to her, lack of facilities is what discourages Asha workers. The government is yet to fulfil its promise of providing sim cards to all Asha workers. Even those who have got them complain that they are not working. “Asha workers in Gadag district complain that sim cards given to them are not working,” Nagalakshmi added.

An Asha worker said on the condition of anonymity that many like her had to spend a lot out of their own pocket. “We have to pay form our own pocket for mobile phone recharge. We are paid peanuts and if we have to spend the money on these things, how can we make both ends meet,” she asked.

Reacting to the sim card problem, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader said if Asha workers gave him a list of places where the issue was prevalent, nodal officers would be immediately sent there to resolve the matter.

At the same time, he claimed the department would ensure the ‘Mission Indradhanush’ was not affected in any way.

“Asha workers must understand that skipping the programme will mean loss of incentives for them. If they still wish to go ahead, we have to get public support to take the programme forward,” he added.