By Our Reporter
Shillong, Nov 19: Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh made a call on Sunday for ASHA employees to come forward for a discussion regarding their various requests.
“The only way to settle disagreement is via dialogue. I want to invite them to come out and talk about the issues,” Lyngdoh said.
She further mentioned that on Monday, a department representative will formally invite the ASHA employees to a meeting.
The Meghalaya Accredited Social Health Activist Workers’ Union (MASHAWU) made the decision earlier on Saturday to plan an indefinite sit-in at the Main Secretariat on November 27 in addition to holding a protest march.
Following a recent peace protest, the executive committee of the MASHAWU met in Mawlai Motsyiar, where the decision was made.
The ASHA workers’ ten-day indefinite strike has impacted healthcare in over 7,000 villages. They are asking for a rise in pay, from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per month.
The union’s president, Marajune Myrsing, stated that the organisation is adamant that they would not back down or give up until the government provides reassurance on the honorarium increase that the ASHAs have raised.