Asha workers stop door-to-door survey, no impact on vax drive – ET HealthWorld


Asha workers stop door-to-door survey, no impact on vax drive
Nagpur: Over 900 Asha workers led by All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Wednesday stopped the door-to-door survey under Har Ghar Dastak campaign in Nagpur district demanding additional allowance for Covid duties.

The move didn’t have any immediate impact on the massive Covid vaccination drive going on in the district for over two weeks.

The district touched a record 47,000 daily vaccinations at the end of the day.

Local authorities deployed additional staff from other departments to assist the health teams performing vaccination drive in the city and rural parts.

Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Ashi Nagar zone officials said that none of their 125 Asha workers reported to work. While officials at other zones said that some Asha workers did report to work, the Unions claimed none of their members joined duties on Wednesday.

NMC officials said the Asha workers were engaged in door-to-door survey, informing people about measures taken by the administration, preparing list of unvaccinated people and explaining benefits of vaccination.

The officials claimed that an additional 1,000 doses were given on Wednesday. “The only issue arising from the protest is our health teams may not have the time to convince unvaccinated people,” they said.

The health teams comprise a nurse who administers the jab. The nurses were joined by staff from malaria department.

The Asha workers were promised Rs200 as mobility allowance. Rajendra Sathe, CITU district president, said the NMC’s mobilization work has come to an end. “Hence vaccination won’t be affected but Asha workers have stopped doing all Covid duties. The NMC has refused to pay the allowance as promised,” he said

Shyam Kale, general secretary of Maharashtra AITUC, said they were assured of an additional Rs1,000 per month for Covid work. “The state government has stopped the money. Asha workers will not do any work regarding Covid, vaccination, survey or report submission till they are paid the assured amount,” he said.

Total vaccinations cross 29 lakh, almost city’s population

Nagpur city crossed another milestone in vaccination on Wednesday. Total vaccinations (first and second doses) crossed the 29 lakh mark with over 21,000 inoculations done on Wednesday.

The city has an estimated population of over 29 lakh. Of this, 19.73 lakh are estimated to be in the 18 and above age group and thus eligible for Covid vaccination. As on date, the NMC has vaccinated 18.16 lakh people with the first dose, leaving just 1.57 eligible persons unvaccinated.

Of the eligible population of 19.73 lakh, 10.85 lakh are fully vaccinated.

Nagpur district has an estimated population of 52.72 lakh. Of this, 37.44 lakh are eligible for vaccination. District’s total vaccination has reached 50.04 lakh, including 32.42 lakh first dose and 17.61 second dose.

Special drives are under way to cover all eligible beneficiaries with the first dose by November 30.





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