Asha worker dies en route to Ballari hospital, kin demand Covid-19 insurance

BENGALURU: A 50-year-old Accredited Social Health Activist (Asha) died on the way to the district hospital in Ballari on Sunday. She had collapsed during data collection at Badanakatte village the previous evening.
Demanding that Bheemakka's family be paid the insurance amount promised to Covid-19 frontline workers, her kin and other Asha workers staged a protest in front of the district hospital.Her body is yet to be moved out of the hospital premises.
"She is a frontline worker who collapsed when she was at work. She died the next day en route to hospital. The government and the district administration have ignored the issue and her body is yet to be sent for postmortem," said Varalakshmi S, president, Asha workers' union.
Karnataka's Covid-19 spokesperson S Suresh Kumar said the death occurred due to cardiac issues and the woman wasn't at work when she died. "She was brought dead to the hospital. She tested negative for Covid-19," he said.
However, the minister's reply disappointed Asha workers who are demanding the government consider Bheemakka's case for Covid-19 insurance benefits.
"The minister has ignored the fact that she collapsed while at work. Chief minister BS Yediyurappa must look into the matter and help the bereaved family," said Varalakshmi.