India, April 7 -- The minimum wage in Kerala is 700 rupees a day, but the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who are the backbone of Kerala's acclaimed healthcare system, are paid an honorarium of 7,000 rupees a month, which means they earn only 232 rupees a day.

During COVID-19, the ASHAs, whom the media described as ANGELS OF HOPE, were the foot soldiers who fought from the front barefoot without even Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). From conducting door-to-door surveys and ensuring proper quarantine facilities for international travellers and COVID-affected people, ASHAs were present everywhere. Despite their immense contributions to healthcare and the floods of 2018 and the Wayanad landslide of July 2024, the ASHAs are n...