ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist)

Knowing the importance of Community involvement for the success of any health programme and promotion of health in the community;the Govt. of India when launching NRHM in India in the year 2005, the ASHA Programme was introduced as a key component of the Community Processes intervention. The ASHA programme has emerged as the largest Community Health Worker Programme in the world, and is considered at critical contributor to enabling people’s participation in health.

There are 987 ASHAs in Mizoram covering all the villages.

Roles and responsibilities of an ASHA:

• ASHA will take steps to create awareness and provide information to the community on determinants of health such as nutrition, basic sanitation and hygiene practices, healthy living and working conditions, information on existing health services and the need for timely use of health services.
• She will counsel women and families on birth preparedness, importance of safe delivery, breast feeding and complementary feeding, immunization, contraception and prevention of common infections including Reproductive Tract Infection/Sexually Transmitted Infection (RTIs/STIs) and care of the young child.
• ASHA will mobilize the community and facilitate people’s access to health and health relate services available at the village/sub centre/primary health centres, such as immunization, Ante Natal Check-up (ANC), Post Natal Check-up(PNC), ICDS, sanitation and other services.
• She will work with the Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committee to develop a comprehensive village health plan, and promote convergent action by the committee on social determinants of health. In support with VHSNC, ASHAs will assist and mobilize the community for action against gender based violence.
• She will arrange escort/accompany pregnant women & children requiring treatment/admission to the nearest pre-identified health facility i.e. Primary Health Centre/Community Health Centre/First Referral Unit(PHC/CHC/FRU)
• ASHA will provide community level curative care for minor ailments such as diarrhoea, fevers, care for the normal and sick new born, childhood illness and first aid. She will be a provider of Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course(DOTS0 under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme. She will also act as a depot holder for essential health products appropriate to local community needs. A drug kit will be provided to each ASHA. Contents of the kit will be based on the recommendations of the expert/technical advisory group set up by the Government of India. These will be updated from time to time, States can add to the list as appropriate.

• The ASHAs role as a care provider can be enhanced based on state needs. States can explore the possibility of graded training to the ASHA to provide palliative care, screening for non- communicable diseases, childhood disability, mental health, geriatric care and others.
• The ASHA’s will provide information on about the births and deaths in her village and any unusual health problems/disease outbreaks in the community to the Sub- Centres/ Primary Health Centre. She will promote construction of household toilets under Total Sanitation Campaign.
• ASHAs are voluntary workers who are given incentives on the performance based. The Activities expected and rate of incentives are :-
• The rate of incentives are :-