DH Impact: Three Asha workers recruited; New Ambulance shifts 45 delivery cases

Mysuru: Responding to Article-A Day with Asha published in DH, State Department of Health and Family Welfare has completed the process of recruitment of three Asha workers to reduce burden on five other Asha workers who served at 14 tribal Hamlets within DB Kuppe range of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in D B Kuppe PHC limits in H D Kote taluk of Mysuru district.

They have recruited V J Pallavi, Manjula and Sharada by relaxing the criteria to recruit them, according to H D Kote Taluk Health Officer T Ravi Kumar.

In the article it was also highlighted that with no Ambulance in that PHC, many women from these hamlets delivered babies before Ambulance arrived from H D Kote or on the way to the hospital.

Ambulance provided by the Health Department responding to the write up has shifted 45 delivery cases including four this month, according to Dr Ravi Kumar.

"Two pregnant women from Balle, one from Golur and one from Thimmanahosahalli haadi were shifted in the Ambulance this month" Asha Susheela Sannappa from Golur Haadi said.

The Experiential Saturday story (dated March 16), on ASHA workers, written after visiting two tribal hamlets and an urban slum, highlighted the services of 41,165 ASHA workers in the State and the issues faced by them at large. It even highlighted the issues faced by Asha workers in delivering health care to people at 14 tribal hamlets of DB Kuppe range of Nagarahole in H D Kote taluk of Mysuru district due to lack of facilities at DB Kuppe PHC.

Minister for health and family welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao, National Health Mission, State Mission Director Dr Y Naveen Bhat, the then Health Commissioner D Randeep responded to the article. They directed Mysuru DHO Dr P C Kumarswamy to provide an Ambulance and address other issues of DB Kuppe PHC. They immediately cleared the pending salary of Rs 3,72,050 to contract Medical Officer of the PHC Dr K Varsha.

Mysuru DHO P C Kumarswamy said that they have sent applications for recruitment of one Staff nurse, three PHCOs (Public Health Care Officers), one lab assistant and one pharmacist for DB Kuppe PHC. Health Department is taking measures to relax eligibility criteria while recruiting staff for these remote areas. Two PHCOs from Belthur are visiting the PHC twice a week, for activities like immunisation. They are sending blood samples of Pregnant women and others for testing to lab at the Government hospital at Sargur.

Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had also assured of resolving issues of Asha workers and even getting smart phones with internet for ASHA workers to enter data in Asha app to get incentives. An organisation provided a smart phone to Asha Susheela Sannappa.

General Secretar of Karnataka Rajya Samyuktha ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) Karyakarthara sangha (R) D Nagalakshmi said that the neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governments are giving fixed honorarium to Asha workers. While the current honorarium of an Asha worker in the State is Rs 5000 per month Government should fix atleast Rs 12,000 per month, she said.