Punjab: Accredited social health activists protest against appointment of SUMAN volunteers

Director, health services and family welfare, Dr Ravinderpal Kaur said they have called the ASHA workers for a meeting on Tuesday; added that Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) is a programme that will register volunteers across Punjab who probably are retired employees of the government

Accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers on Monday held a protest against registration of Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) volunteers in Punjab. They claimed that the work undertaken by SUMAN volunteers was already being done by them.

Accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers on Monday held a protest against registration of Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) volunteers in Punjab. They claimed that the work undertaken by SUMAN volunteers was already being done by them. (HT Photo)

The ASHA Workers and Facilitator Union, Punjab, in a memorandum submitted to senior medical officer Gurpreet Singh Nagra in Kauli village of Patiala on Monday, said, “The ASHA workers and facilitators are already looking after the expecting women since 2008. It has resulted in drastic decline in the maternal and infant mortality rate. Due to the new policy, the workers and facilitators are deeply disturbed and anxious. (We will) protest and submit the memorandums to respective SMOs from February 20 to February 25 if this scheme is not stopped at the earliest. In case of no favourable response, memorandums will be submitted to civil surgeons on March 7.”

Union’s state president Kirandeep Kaur Panjola said, “As the government is bringing in volunteer policy in our state too, these volunteers after a point of time will ask for salary. It is their right. The central government should have only implemented it in those states where there is a need of these volunteers.”

Kamaljit Kaur, Patiala district president of the union, said, “We are already working on those programmes for which the government is hiring SUMAN volunteers.”

Director, health services and family welfare, Dr Ravinderpal Kaur, meanwhile, said, “We have called the ASHA workers for a meeting on Tuesday. There is no threat to them. It is actually a programme that will register volunteers across Punjab who probably are retired employees of the government and would like to serve their community. They will not report to the government. The SUMAN volunteers will only disseminate information about the healthcare. The ASHA workers went on a strike before discussing it with the authorities concerned.”