Here is a must-watch short film on women health workers fighting the coronavirus battle

 The short film showcases ASHA, ANM workers as they go about their daily rounds in villages and small towns helping their communities in the face of a global pandemic  

The non-profit organisation Population Foundation of India (PFI) has produced a short film on women health workers of India. The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) or frontline health workers are spreading awareness in areas that have minimal access to media or technology.

The film showcases ASHA and ANM workers as they go about their daily rounds in villages and small towns helping their communities in the face of a global pandemic.

The short film was released on the MyGov page on Facebook and has already garnered 4.75 million views within the first 24 hours of being posted.

ANMs and ASHAs are trained in basic health care and the core of their work lies in looking after the requirements of children, adolescents and women in their communities. Much of their work also includes raising awareness and educating their communities on issues around family planning, vaccinations, maternal health, nutrition and child health.

“These women are warriors who have not just been performing their regular duties taken on additional responsibilities to raise awareness, conduct house to house surveys, monitor returning migrants and educate their communities on the precautions to take to curb the pandemic. To ensure they have the support they require to continue their work we should provide them with stable employment, training and social security benefits. They must be empowered with tools for health education and communication for behaviour change. This film is a small gesture compared to their tremendous work on the ground,” added Poonam Muttreja, executive director, Population Foundation of India.

The last three months under lockdown have been incredibly difficult for frontline workers. In parts of the country, they have faced discrimination and even violence because of their work with COVID-19 patients.  Moreover, with transport services restricted, accessibility to healthcare facilities has been a huge concern. But these health workers are trying their best to mitigate the crisis.