The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to provide an incentive of Rs 2000 per month for the month of June and July to all the ASHA workers in the state.

This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing ASHA workers in HP through video conferencing from Shimla today. The CM said that the Corona pandemic has took the whole world by surprise and caught the medical fraternity unprepared. He said that Himachal Pradesh has effectively fought this virus and ASHA workers of the state have played a pivotal role in controlling this virus. He said that ASHA workers not only helped in detecting the people with ILI (Influenza like Symtoms), but also put in efforts to motivate people in strictly following the quarantine norms. He said the ASHA workers sensitised the people in home quarantine to strictly follow the norms so as to ensure that they and their family members remain safe.

The Chief Minister said that the Active Case Finding Campaign (in which ASHA workers were involved) of Himachal government was even appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the Prime Minister suggested the chief ministers of other states to follow Himachal Pradesh and launch this campaign in their respective states to detect patients with influenza like illness.

He said that not only this, the ASHA Workers also were playing a vital role in educating the masses regarding the importance of social distancing and use of face masks to prevent spread of this virus.

Thakur said that although the COVID-19 cases in our country were increasing, still the situation is under control. He said that as many as 4.65 lakh deaths have been reported in fifteen most severely affected countries of the world with a total population of 142 crore, whereas in India with a population of 135 crore, as any as 13,699 deaths have been reported till date. He said that credit of this goes to the timely decision of lockdown taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The state government has succeeded in checking community spread and credit of this goes to the ASHA workers. He said that the state government would consider all the genuine demands of the ASHA worker sympathetically,” he said. He also interacted with the ASHA workers on the occasion.

Additional Chief Secretary Health R.D.Dhiman said that the ASHA workers have played a major role in containing the Corona pandemic in the state.

Principal Private Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. R.N. Batta, Director Health Services Dr. B. B. Katoch, Special Secretary Health Dr. Nipun Jindal and other officers were present on the occasion.