About :

Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is a trained female community health activist. Selected from the community itself and accountable to it, the ASHA will be trained to work as an interface between the community and the public health system.

Eligblity criteria for ASHAs:

• ASHA must primarily be a woman resident of the village married/ widowed/ divorced, preferably in the age group of 25 to 45 years.
• She should be a literate woman with due preference in selection to those who are qualified up to 10 standard wherever they are interested and available in good numbers. However, it may be relaxed under some exceptions.
• ASHA should have effective communication skills with language fluency of the area/population she is expected to cover, leadership qualities and be able to reach out to the community.

Functions of ASHA:

• ASHA will be the first port of call for any health related demands of deprived sections of the population, especially women and children, who find it difficult to access health services.
• ASHA will be a health activist in the community who will create awareness on health and its social determinants and mobilise the community towards local health planning and increased utilisation and accountability of the existing health services.
• She would be a promoter of good health practices and will also provide a minimum package of curative care as appropriate and feasible for that level and make timely referrals.
• ASHA will provide information to the community on determinants of health such as nutrition, basic sanitation & hygienic practices, healthy living and working conditions, information on existing health services and the need for timely utilisation of health & family welfare services.
• She will counsel women 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 Infections (RTIs/STIs) and care of the young child.
• ASHA will mobilise the community and facilitate them in accessing health and health related services available at the Anganwadi/sub-centre/primary health centers, such as immunisation, AnteNatal Check-up (ANC), Post Natal Check-up supplementary nutrition, sanitation and other services being provided by the government.

Why in News?

The government praised ASHAs for giving their selfless commitment to people in the long fight against COVID-19.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1636616

https://vikaspedia.in/health/nrhm/national-health-mission/initiatives-for-community-participation-under-nhm/accredited-social-health-activist-asha