[Health] ASHA- Accredited Social Health Activist

ASHA- Accredited Social Health Activist

• It works as an interface Between community and public health system.
• They are central feature of NHRM community based health care delivery
• They are accountable to panchayats.
• Their work involves counselling on improved health practices, prevention of illness and complications and appropriate curative care or referral for pregnant women, newborn or ill children as also malaria, TB and other conditions. They r also involved in social marketing of sanitary napkins and spacing contraceptives.
• ASHAs are reaching around 70% of population so 30% still remain unattended.
• Over 7.99 lakh ASHAs provided drug kits so far.These kits contain generic AYUSH and alopathic medicines for common ailments. Many state are also providing equipment kits for home based new born care.

Impact of ASHA as per study done by planning commission:

1. 65% beneficiaries r visited by ASHA once in 15 -30 days .
2. 80% beneficiaries confirmed delivery of free drugs by ASHA
3. 65% opted for institutional delivery. 60% opted for antenatal care in govt facility.
4. 56% couples reported use of contraceptives of which 88 % availed it from govt health counters.