Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers on Friday took out a peace rally as a mark of protest against the state government’s adamant attitude towards their demands which include enhancement of their honorarium.
Hundreds of ASHA workers braved a heavy downpour as they participated in the procession which concluded at Malki ground.
Addressing the protesters, President of the Meghalaya Accredited Social Health Activist Workers’ Union (MASHAWU) Marajune Myrsing said there will be no retreat and no surrender if the state government fail to come up with some kind of assurance to the issues of the ASHAs.
The ASHA workers have been demanding the state government to enhance their fixed honorarium from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000.
Stating that ASHAs have the right to demand for their rights, Myrsing said, “The health minister has announced that the salary of ASHA workers is Rs 5,000 but she knows the state government is paying us only Rs 2,000 which is only Rs 66 per day.”
“Let me also remind the health minister that the state government has given us a fixed honorarium of Rs 2,000 after it has taken away the ABF/MBBS benefits, which was not cleared for the past many years,” she added.
Further, Myrsing said that the union will again meet tomorrow to decide its future course of action.
“I announce the peace rally in all districts has concluded today and from now onwards it will not be a peace rally but it will be a protest rally. I urge EC members to attend a meeting tomorrow to decide our future course of action,” she said.
Health care services in over 7,000 villages have been affected in view of the indefinite strike by the ASHA workers for the past ten days.
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