In a bid to prevent and control growing problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the state, the Maharashtra public health department has sent a proposal to National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) seeking approval to provide incentives to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to ensure that people in rural areas suffering from NCDs get access to health services as well as make rural populace aware of determinants of the diseases and its preventive methods.

ASHAs are community health workers employed by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) as part of the NRHM in 2005 to improve the health condition of the people in rural areas through ensuring their access to healthcare services.

In Maharashtra, 12.8 per cent of population has diabetes, one of the major NCDs. People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing cardio vascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, etc. More than 80 per cent of all NCD related deaths are attributed to four diseases - cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

Taking serious note of growing prevalence of NCDs in parts of the state, the public health department has stepped up efforts to rein in its growth. Roping in ASHA workers to reach out to patients suffering from NCDs and create awareness among people about risk factors and preventive measures for such diseases is one of them.

Project director, ASHA, NRHM Maharashtra, Anil Naxine, said, “At present, ASHA workers get incentives under 48 indicators including Janani Suraksha Yojana to promote institutional delivery, bringing children to immunisation facilities, attending Village Health and Nutrition Day meeting etc. They have played a crucial role in facilitating institutional delivery in rural areas which resulted in decline in infant mortality rates to 24 per 1000 live births in 2015-16 as per National Family Health Survey-4.”

“Currently, there is no provision for ASHA workers to get incentives to facilitate treatment of patients with NCDs at health facilities in rural areas. Hence the state health department decided to provide ASHAs incentives to ensure timely treatment of such patients as well as make villagers aware about risk factors of the NCDs and its preventive measures which will hopefully reduce the prevalence and burden of the diseases in the state,” Naxine further said.

“Last month the state health department had written to NRHM under MoHFW seeking approval for the same. We have proposed incentives to ASHA workers for at least 10 NCDs including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. We are expecting the NRHM approval by first week of May,” he added.