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Bid to strengthen basic health services in Delhi

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government’s Health Department has recruited over 2,000 accredited social health activists (ASHA) under the National Health Mission to make basic health services available to the lowest strata of society in the Capital.

These grassroots workers are seen as a welcome addition to the already overstretched, understaffed public health sector in the Capital. The Delhi Government health sector at present faces a medical staff crunch of several thousands.

The latest recruits include women between in the 25 to 40 years age group and this part-time voluntary service is targeted to reach out to Delhi’s 11 million slum and rural population.

The Health Department is also in the process of recruiting 3,000 more ASHAs to ensure that no area of the Capital is left uncovered.

“The group will consist of women in the 25 to 40 years age group, preferably married, with a minimum education of Class VIII and willing to work within the community that they reside in,” said S. Prakash, director of the State Health Mission, giving a profile of ASHA workers.

Though a voluntary part-time scheme, these activists would be awarded a small incentive to continue on the project. They are expected to be the health activists within their own community and would be affiliated to a dispensary near them.

“The ASHAs will be soon integrated into the mainstream to assist the Health Department to get information about grassroots communities and also spread awareness about routine ailments that plague the city in their allocated zones. While several districts in the city have completed training of ASHAs in their area, we are waiting for some other districts to finish the basic training to give the green signal for the official induction of the ASHAs,” added Mr. Prakash.

“They will be then provided a basic drug kit and as their first assignment would be to conduct a baseline survey of their respective communities to understand the area’s unique problems and also mark out the trouble zones there,” added Mr. Prakash.

ASHAs will be reporting to a medical nurse who in turn will be submitting a complied report to the medical officer in-charge of the assigned area.

“It is a comprehensive network of grassroots level workers who will help us in preventing routinely occurring diseases in Delhi ,” said Mr. Prakash.

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