ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) is a key component of the National Health Mission (NHM) in India. Launched in 2005, ASHA is a community health worker program designed to improve access to primary healthcare services, promote health awareness, and facilitate community participation in health initiatives, especially in rural and underserved areas. ASHA workers are selected from the community and trained to serve as a vital link between the healthcare system and the community. Here are the key features of ASHA.
Community-Based Approach
ASHA operates on a community-based approach, engaging local women from the community as frontline health workers. ASHA workers are selected based on criteria such as their residency in the village, their ability to communicate effectively, and their willingness to serve the community. By recruiting from the local community, ASHA ensures that workers have a deep understanding of local customs, culture, and socio-economic factors, enabling them to effectively engage with community members.
Promotion of Health Awareness
ASHA workers play a crucial role in promoting health awareness and behaviour change within the community. They conduct health education sessions, door-to-door visits, and community meetings to raise awareness about key health issues, preventive measures, and healthy practices related to maternal and child health, nutrition, immunization, family planning, sanitation, hygiene, and communicable diseases. ASHA workers use culturally appropriate communication methods and materials to disseminate health messages and empower community members to make informed health choices.
Linkage to Health Services
ASHA serves as a bridge between the community and the healthcare system, facilitating access to health services and resources. ASHA workers identify individuals and families in need of healthcare services, refer them to appropriate healthcare facilities, and follow up to ensure that they receive timely and quality care. They facilitate immunization sessions, antenatal and postnatal care visits, family planning services, and other health interventions at the community level, helping to increase healthcare utilization and improve health outcomes.
Maternal and Child Health Promotion
ASHA focuses on promoting maternal and child health, given the high maternal and child mortality rates in rural and underserved areas. ASHA workers play a critical role in encouraging institutional deliveries, promoting antenatal and postnatal care visits, facilitating early breastfeeding initiation, promoting immunization, identifying high-risk pregnancies, and providing essential newborn care practices. ASHA workers also support community-based interventions such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) to incentivize institutional deliveries and reduce maternal mortality.
Incentivized Performance-Based Model
ASHA workers operate under an incentivized performance-based model, where they receive incentives and honorarium based on their performance and achievements in promoting health and delivering services. ASHA workers are incentivized for various activities, including mobilizing pregnant women for antenatal care, promoting institutional deliveries, conducting immunization sessions, facilitating family planning services, and participating in health surveys and campaigns. The incentives provide motivation and recognition for ASHA workers’ efforts, incentivizing them to actively engage in health promotion activities and reach performance targets.
Capacity Building and Support
ASHA workers undergo initial training and regular capacity-building sessions to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies in various aspects of community health. Training topics include maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, immunization, disease prevention, communication skills, and data recording. ASHA workers also receive ongoing support, supervision, and mentorship from auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), primary health center (PHC) staff, and district health officials to strengthen their performance and ensure the quality of their services.
In conclusion, ASHA plays a critical role in promoting community health, improving access to primary healthcare services, and enhancing maternal and child health outcomes in rural and underserved areas of India. Through its community-based approach, health promotion activities, linkage to health services, focus on maternal and child health, incentivized performance-based model, and capacity-building support, ASHA contributes to the achievement of the National Health Mission’s goals of Universal Health Coverage and improving health equity and access for all.
