Thread by @BehanBox

Charanjit, an ASHA worker from Kaithal, Haryana, details what is expected of them at the frontlines of #COVID19 and how a remuneration of Rs. 1000 per month for the same is shameful. | #RecogniseASHAs

@IndiaWgh @peekayty @VidyaKrishnan @gluppschlopp @RemaNagarajan @inayat_s_kakar @patralekha2011

Recently, the government rolled out an app, especially for ASHA workers, to feed in their COVID-19 survey reports at the end of each day. Sarabjit, an ASHA worker from Kaithal, Haryana, responds. | #RecogniseASHAs

B Pochamma, an ASHA worker and union leader from Andhra Pradesh, describes the disrespect and ostracisation they face every day within the healthcare workforce. | #RecogniseASHAs

The Andhra Pradesh government pays its ASHAs Rs. 10,000 a month – the highest across all Indian states. But have the womxn's problems ended there? B Pochamma, ASHA and union leader in AP, says, if anything, their mistreatment has increased. | #RecogniseASHAs

While in Haryana, ASHAs ask for a raise and in Andhra, they ask for respect, in Punjab – like Ranjit Kaur - they say any monthly stipend from the state govt is a good start. As of now, they only receive incentives based on individual tasks from the central govt. | #RecogniseASHAS

Shashi Singh, an ASHA worked from UP argues that being a health worker for the government of India, she should have access to hospital care and insurance – like other members of the department do. | #RecogniseASHAs

ASHAs in Chhatisgarh (called Mitanins) are working for free – they have not been paid their dues since Jan, their COVID remuneration for March & April or the Rs. 2k the central govt ordered as payment throughout the COVID months. Listen in as Suman explains. | #RecogniseASHAs

Anandi, an ASHA from Satara, Maharashtra asks: if ASHAs are doing Block Facilitator-level work and lifting a significant proportion of the health department's burden on the field, shouldn't they be paid monthly salaries based on minimum wage rates at least? | #RecogniseASHAs

Lakshmi, an ASHA worker from MP says they weren't given any masks or sanitizers for their field duty, except for a performative few in Bhopal and Indore for the cameras. Now, two ASHAs have tested positive. Lakshmi, worried, wants all ASHAs to be tested. | #RecogniseASHAs

Champaben, an ASHA worker from Gujarat argues why they should receive at least Rs. 300 per day: they work for 6 hours daily, in the heat, at their own financial and personal costs and are the only ones supplying health data that goes on to form govt reports. | #RecogniseASHAs

Tutumoni, an ASHA worker from Assam, recounts an incident where two ASHAs were given PPE kits during their field duty. But once, pictures of them were clicked and shared, they were rebuked for having wasted expensive, valuable safety gear. | #RecogniseASHAs