Mysuru: Demanding the scrapping of payment through Reproductive Child Health (RCH) portal, increase in honorarium and implementation of their other demands, ASHA workers staged a mammoth protest recently.

Hundreds of workers of Karnataka Combined ASHA Workers Association, who arrived from various parts of the district,  assembled in front of Deputy Commissioner’s Office and urged for fulfilment of demands.

“We worked like warriors during COVID-19 and earned appreciation from the public, State and Health Departments. Many international organisations including World Health Organisation (WHO) have also recorded their appreciation. During the last 13 years, we are sincerely discharging our duties of creating awareness about mother-child health in urban and rural areas, importance of hygienic in rural areas and have also participated in various surveys. We are functioning as a bridge between the general public and the Health Department. But for all these services, we are not getting the honorarium fixed by the Union Government and though we are protesting across the State in this connection, our problems remain unsolved,” bemoaned the protestors.

Demanding that payment through RCH portal should be scrapped after December 2022, they urged the Government to fix an honorarium of Rs.12,000 per month including all honorariums. “The financial loss incurred  by ASHA workers due to the snags in RCH portal, should be paid as arrears. The honorarium of urban workers is not in compliance with additional workload and increased cost of living. Hence, they should be increased. The lumpsum amount of Rs. 20,000 being given at the time of retirement or voluntary retirement, should be raised  to Rs. 3 lakh on the lines of West Bengal Government and the sick allowance should also be increased.