Lok Sabha Question No. 2933 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-03
Subject: Remuneration to ASHA Workers
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2933 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 rd AUGUST, 2018

## REMUNERATION TO ASHA WORKERS

## 2933. SHRI N.K.PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to utilise the ASHA workers more efficiently and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the remuneration and facilities given to the ASHA workers are not sufficient and if so, the action taken by the Government to increase their remuneration and facilities;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes to  give  scientific  and  technical  training  to the  ASHA workers so as to meet the requirement of the village peo ple and if so, the details of the action taken in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government also proposes to introduce a system for updating and monitoring the various issues in health sector through IT network in all villages by the ASHA workers; and
- (e)if so, the details of the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): To enhance the competency and professional credibility of ASHAs through knowledge and skill assessment, a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and Natio Health  Systems  Resource  Centre  (NHSRC)  in  2014  for  implementation  of  Certification  o f ASHA  and  Accreditation  of  associated  Agencies  in  ASHA  training  under  National  Health Mission.  Under  this  initiative,  NIOS  certifies/  accredits  the  following  components program: -
- Training curriculum
- State Training Sites / District Training Sites
- Trainers
- ASHAs and ASHA Facilitators

In  addition,  Ministry  has  also  developed  a  mobile  Application  called  the  Mob Academy which is a modular course intended to test basic knowledge of ASHAs related to t day to day activities.

(b): Under  the  National  Health  Mission,  ASHAs  are  envisaged  to  be  voluntary  healt Activists and are entitled to task/activity based incentives. The quantum of incentives the ASHAs depends on activities undertaken and the population covered by her. Th e incentives to ASHAs finalized at the national level are regularly reviewed by the Government and act for  which  ASHAs  would  get  incentives  are  expanded  from  time  to  time.  In  2013  ASHA incentives enhanced for many activities and new incentives for r outine and ecurring activities were introduced to ensure that ASHAs get at least Rs. 1000/ -per month. Thereafter, the Mission Steering Group of NHM approved incentives for ASHAs at the rate of Rs.100 for notificati suspect referred is diagnosed to b e TB patient by MO/Lab in 2014,    Rs 100/ -per round during Indoor Residual Spray i.e. Rs 200 in total for two rounds Indoor Residual Spray in 2015 a 150/case for escorting or facilitating beneficiary to the health facility for the Post Abo D insertion in 2017. Under the Framework for Implementation of NHM, States have also been g the flexibility to design ASHA incentives.

(c): Under  NHM,  support  is  being  provided  to  States/  UTs  for  training  of  ASHAs.  The detailed training strategy of ASH As is at Annexure. In addition, as mentioned in answer to (a above, NHM is supporting certification of ASHAs through NIOS.

(d)& (e) : No system has been designed at national level for updating and monitoring of health issues through IT network by ASHAs .

## Strategy for training of ASHAs under National Healthy Mission (NHM)

- The  mechanisms  for  training  ASHAs  have  been  institutionalized  across  all  the  states ASHA trainings are designed at multiple levels using a pool of accredited trainers at state and district/sub - district level.
- All  newly  selected  ASHAs  unde rgo  an  eight  days  training  to  orient  her  on  role  and responsibilities and build skills for community rapport building and leadership and dev understanding of the health system and rights - based approach to health.
- Subsequently, all ASHAs undertak e Twenty Days Skill based Training for key competencies in women and children's health and nutrition. This training is completed in four rounds within the first eighteen months of joining.
- In addition, states are also supported to plan up to fifteen da ys of training annually, in which either new topics and skills are being added or existing skills of ASHAs are reinforced refresher training in areas where the ASHAs need further inputs. 1
- As  part  of  efforts  to  roll  out  Comprehensive  Primary  Health  Care,  ASHAs  are  now  bei trained in new skills to enable Universal Screening, Prevention and Management of Comm Non Communicable  Diseases - Hypertension,  Diabetes,  Cancer  Cervix,  Breast  and  Oral Cancers. 2
- A strong network of programme management structures has been built at state, district an -district level for necessary handholding and supervision of ASHAs, facilitates her wo makes her more effective.

1 Guidelines for Community Processes, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2013

2 DO-7(67)/2016-NHM-I Dated 11 th January 2017, Operational Guidelines for Prevention Screening and Management of Common Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2016