Bengaluru, Jul 10: Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers under the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Friday held protests in different parts of Karnataka, demanding personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and a salary of at least Rs 12,000 per month.
According to Madhu Kumari, an ASHA worker from Kalaburgi, ASHA workers currently receive a salary of Rs 3,000 per month.
"Our demand is to increase our wages to at least Rs 12,000 per month. We have been making this demand for the last six months but we have not received any response from the authorities. We will not go back to work until we are given an appropriate response. We did not want to create a difficult situation but the government has given us no choice," Kumari told ANI.
Clad in their signature pink saris, the women were holding posters in their hands and raising slogans to demand appropriate salary for their work and the necessary equipment to protect themselves from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Farhana, an ASHA worker protesting in Shivamogga, said that the women have been making demands for PPE kits since June 30. "We have been taking care of COVID patients for the last few weeks but have not received adequate PPE kits. A few of us received some in the beginning but they were not enough. We are not even given hand sanitiser or masks to protect ourselves," she added.
"We have sent letters to the District Commissioner's Office and to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare but our pleas have gone unheard. We are protesting to get the attention of the concerned authorities," she added.
They also demanded that authorities to conduct their COVID-19 tests as they have to deal with patients infected with the virus.
Sajida, an ASHA worker in Kalaburagi said, "We are very stressed about the COVID situation. We take care of sick people day in and day out, but no one is there to take care of us. We want the government to conduct COVID tests for all ASHA workers in the state."
Comments
First time in our peace loving South Kanara history a appointed IAs office resign from the post> Earlier ONE more brave Police officer of Tamilnaad origin resigned and desided to discontinue his Govt Officer duty.
hs there any brave courage person to ask or question th govt. Why all these started in KARNATAKA who is behind and why these goons trying to tie our sincere on duty officer hand.
Deal all these are the clear sign be ready to keep safe our South Kanara peace full daily life. The communal group already started to funding their south Kanara wings and training in progress to spoil out communal harmony. They will start to attack a famous place or a famous person and later come up with patriot lable to protest and start to attack thier targets of particular community.
Please stand togther to thorw them out from our Tulunaadu South Kanara.
In Kerala their plan was totally spoiled and broken by a brave police officer and all culprits and their THUNDU leaders are behind bar.
Dhikkar to Desh Drohi.
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