In a move that is likely to boost rural healthcare facility in Assam, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss will hand over mobile phones to Auxiliary Nursing Midwifes (ANMs) at Guwahati on Tuesday. The occasion is convention of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) that gets underway on July 8. The event would see Director of National Rural Health Mission GC Chaturvedi signing an MoU with Emergency Management and Research Institute, an emergency management service operating in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The event, organised by Assam Government, is being described as a unique opportunity for interaction between the national policy-makers and grassroot activists. Chief Minister Tarun Gagoi along with senior Health Ministry officials is attending the convention. A large number of ASHAs are likely to participate in the convention. Dr Ramadoss who is scheduled to be on a day's visit to Assam, will also inaugurate the national seminar on health, legal right and social justice towards person with disability, organised byDristidan, an NGO. Official sources said ASHA convention acquires significance in the light of growing focus on the North-east under NRHM. The region has seen 25 per cent increase in investment in health sector in last three years. The north eastern States suffer from prolonged neglect manpower shortages and infrastructure gaps. The Centre has sanctioned two nursing colleges in the current year, and Gauhati Medical College has also been earmarked for funding while a proposal to set up eight new General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) schools is under consideration. Nearly 300 specialists and doctors, 250 Ayurvedic doctors, over 4000 ANMs, 1500 staff nurses, more than 400 laboratory technicians have been inducted into the health system in Assam. Besides, upgradation of 18 district hospitals, construction of four new district hospitals, 103 CHCs, 100 PHCs and construction of new facilities at 500 PHSCs have also been taken up by the State. As of June, a total 26,225 ASHAs have been selected, trained and are functioning in 27 districts of Assam, sources said. Completion of training and putting in place ASHA support system is a major priority under NRHM, sources said. All ASHAs have been provided with a drugs kit containing the specified drugs. At the time of distribution, orientation has been done regarding the instructions of the use of drugs. Replenishment of expended items is done from the general store of the Block PHC All ASHAs have opened their bank accounts. The system of transferring incentives directly to the bank has been introduced so that ASHAs need not have to come to the PHC for collecting the incentives.