SRINAGAR, May 31 (KNS): Apni Party spokesperson Javid Hassan Baig on Monday expressed deep shock over the demise of an ASHA worker from Sheeri-Baramulla who succumbed to Covid-19 infection while delivering her tireless services on ground zero as a frontline warrior.

In a statement issued to Kashmir news service (KNS), Baig termed the demise of the ASHA worker as an extremely unfortunate incident and demanded that the government must ensure that adequate compensation is sanctioned and disbursed to her family members on a prompt basis.

“I along with my Party members salute these frontline workers who intrepidly have stood firm in the fight against this dreaded contagion. The government must include all these ASHA workers under the newly introduced insurance schemes for medics and paramedical staff at an earliest,” he demanded.

He also said that the government provides a meagre honorarium to this nimble workforce which needs to be enhanced while keeping in view the service they have rendered especially in the time of Pandemic.

“Those ASHA workers who have been serving in this workforce for a long time now must be regularized, beginning with the posthumous regularization of the deceased lady who had served as an ASHA worker for 10 years and also lost her life while performing the duty on the ground,” he demanded.

Furthermore, Baig stressed that incentives in line with other medical frontline forces working on the ground during this pandemic must also be given to the ASHA workers.

“Proper incentives and enhanced wages on time is a basic right of such workers. Besides that, the medical department must ensure the appropriate protective gears including masks, face shields and nitrile gloves are provided to them in order to avert any medical eventuality,” he emphasized.(KNS)