MYSURU: Casting a shadow on Mysuru’s relatively cleaner track record in ensuring adequate resources to its COVID warriors, ASHA workers on Sunday alleged lapses on the part of the administration.
The workers claimed that though they are conducting a health survey in containment zones for the last three months, they were given just one mask and a 50 ml sanitiser bottle. The face shield that was promised has not reached all of them.
“In containment zones, we do thermal screening and check the condition of vulnerable populations. Residents here are worried about their safety, seeing us roaming around with just the mask and without the face shield or gloves. But the authorities are apathetic,” said Sunitha, an ASHA worker from Mysuru city.
Shubhamangala, District Secretary, ASHA Workers’ Association, alleged that officials often neglect their demand for masks and sanitisers, and they have to depend on NGOs. “We were given a pair of gloves only once and when we asked for more, they asked us to wash it and reuse it,” she said.
They alleged that the Rs 3,000 honorarium announced by the cooperation department is yet to reach the health workers in the city. Chandrashekhar Metti of the All-India Democratic Youth Organisation said that ASHA workers also have to battle for their wages every month since they do not have a fixed salary except an honorarium of Rs 4,000.