Source: The Sangai Express
Tamenglong, March 09 2009:
Inspite of the responsibility thrust upon them to ensure the health of the women and children in rural areas, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) appointed under the National Rural Health Mission have facing numerous difficulties in carrying out their duties.
Identification of pregnant mothers in rural areas, ensuring their admission in the nearest hospital/health institution for delivery and regular health check up, immunisation of the child after being delivered, administering polio drop, identification of the pregnant mothers affected with HIV/AIDS, etc are among many important tasks that have been entrusted, ASHAs have been finding difficulties in carrying out their duties due to failure of providing the required equipments in time and denial of the benefit entitled to the pregnant mothers under the Janani Suraksha Yojana.
All these issues have been discussed and analysed during a one-day district level convention of the ASHAs of Imphal West district at Kangla Hall here today.
Organised by Khurkhul PHC ASHAs Development Organisation, the convention was attended by MLA Dr H Borajao as chief guest, MLA W Brajabidhu as functional president and Pradhan of Mayang Langjing GP T Tompok and Zilla Parishad member of Mayang Langjing GP Manitombi and Zilla Parishad member of Khurkhul GP Sebanandi as guests of honour.
Participating in the convention, Motum Robita, who is working as an ASHA under Khumbong PHC pointed out that inspite of numerous responsibilities entrusted on ASHAs, equipments necessary in carrying out their duties are not being provided in time.
Moreover, delivery of child by pregnant mothers in hospital has been ensured since October of 2008, the benefits entitled to the such pregnant mothers under the Janani Suraksha Yojana are not been provided.
As a result, the pregnant mothers in particular and the public in general have started losing faith on the ASHAs, Robita lamented.
Another ASHA alleged that the benefits under the Village Health and Sanitation programme are not being extended to all the ASHAs equally.
Out of the 18 ASHAs under Khurkhul PHC, only 6 of them are enjoying the benefit.
Similarly, out of 48 ASHAs under Khumbong PHC only 15 of them are getting the benefit, she pointed out adding that such discriminatory attitude has discouraged the ASHAs.
Failure of the assurance to provide bicycles among the ASHAs with effect from February this year to help in solving the problem of walking on foot for long distance in rural areas in carrying out their duties regardless of day and night was also taken up for discussion during the meet.