#49-25 Kerala Healthworker Strike … State turned volunteers into workers without wages
ASHA stands for accredited social health activists. They are part of a government of India scheme to provide health services at the village level. Originally volunteers, the women promote public health in the villages, especially children’s and women’s health. India’s central government pays states to give an incentive, and state governments decide on additional honoraria. Since the scheme took off in 2008, the state of Kerala made very little increase in incentives but added huge increases in workload and rules. In 2025, ASHA workers in Kerala led a protracted strike for better pay, retirement benefits, and working conditions. The state government disrespected them and even concealed national increase in benefits. Public widely supported the strike.
Speakers: Mini is a trained pharmacist, ASHA volunteer, activist and prominent face of the strike; J. Devika is an academic and researcher who has written about ASHA workers’ protest and raised funds.
Produced and narrated by Smita Ramanathan and Manju Venkat. Nilu Kulkarni reads English translation. Series producer, Frieda Werden