Role of Asha Workers as Grassroots Leaders in Strengthening Rural Healthcare in Karnataka, India

Abstract

The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are an integral part of the health system, bridging the gap between the formal healthcare services and communities. This study examines the role of the grassroots leaders in enhancing the rural healthcare services in Karnataka. The study is based on secondary data analysis and an extensive literature review that highlights the distribution of the frontline health workforce and its beneficiaries. Further, a correlation analysis is conducted to assess the strong positive relationship between health workers and beneficiaries, underscoring the importance of workforce allocation for health service equity in rural areas. Further, despite the challenges they face, they have emerged as leaders, with 100 percent of ASHAs being women, efficiently strengthening community health engagement. The paper identifies limitations in research on highlighting ASHA workers' roles as grassroots leaders, especially in Karnataka.