Women Health Volunteers (WHV) of Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme have urged the State government to increase their incentive amount from ₹5,500 to ₹15,000 and to regularise their positions.

On Wednesday, around 750 staff staged a demonstration in Chennai, while petitions were also submitted to officials across districts. In a letter to the Health Minister, the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuva Uzhiyar Sangam said that under the scheme, about three crore persons were screened door-to-door for blood pressure and blood sugar and medicine kits were provided at their homes.

A total of 8,713 persons in rural and 2,256 in urban areas were working under the scheme for the last five years. The WHVs were forced to do various tasks, including outpatient-related work at health sub-centres and urban primary health centres. They were also assigned duties beyond their responsibilities under the scheme. In addition, the staff had to bear the expenses for fuel, data cards, and stationery items such as paper, notebooks, and pencils, the association said.

The WHVs were fighting for a number of demands for the last few years. “Nearly 12,000 WHVs are working under the scheme. The incentive should be increased from ₹5,500 to ₹15,000. They are working for more than five years and should be made permanent,” S. Krishamurthy, president of the association said.

Their workload norms should be fixed, and their nomenclature should be changed from volunteers to health staff/employees, they demanded.

Published - August 13, 2026 12:38 am IST