ASHA workers can help break taboo on menstrual hygiene, says Manipur minister

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 31 (EMN): Manipur Health and Family Welfare and Information and Public Relations Minister on Wednesday opined that Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) can take a bigger role to break the social taboo about menstrual hygiene particularly among young girls.

Distributing bags and umbrellas to the ASHA workers at the Heritage hall of the Indian Medical Association at Lamphelpat in Imphal, Minister Dr. S Ranjan said that the committed service of the ASHA workers is highly commendable.

He stated that the primary health care system needs to be focused.

‘Without strengthening primary health care which is at the grassroots level, the tertiary health care system will hardly be able to be improved. The government is trying to improve the overall healthcare system in the state. In this regard people’s cooperation is needed’, he informed.

The ASHA workers are playing the role of linking the grassroots health care service and the community. He also appreciated ASHAs for their role during the COVID-19 pandemic. ASHAs are involved in maximum programmes and activities of NHM, he added.

The minister also stated that the World Health Organisation has recognised the dedicated service of the ASHAs.

In his speech, Director Dr. Kh Sasheekumar Mangang of Health Services Manipur, said that ASHAs show their worth by their action not by words.

‘They have become interfaces between health functionaries and communities. ASHA workers should be given training in simple and easy ways’, he suggested. There are a total of 664,349 villages and 7,00,000 ASHA workers in India.

Dr. Somorjit Ningombam, Director of National Health Mission (NHM), Manipur, officials and staff of Health department and NHM, and others also attended the occasion. Later, the minister also paid a surprise visit to the Medical Directorate office and conducted an inspection of the medical store room.