Community Health
The Predicament
Community health is one of the most important aspects to be covered by the government. It is that part of public health that focuses on the study, protection, and health improvement within the community. It concentrates on the entire geographical area rather than smaller specific aspects such as age, profession, etc.
What is the government aim in community health?
The government aims at providing affordable, accessible and quality health services to reach everyone, particularly the vulnerable and marginalized sections in rural areas. The Indian government, as of the latest budget, announced to allocate as much as Rs. 69,000 crore (US$ 9.87 billion) outlays for the country’s healthcare. Three important objectives the Indian health care system are striving towards are to:
- Boost the health status of the population by decreasing the mortality and morbidity rates.
- Harbour, the population against the financial danger of health-related issues.
- Respond to the population’s health-related demands and needs.
What are the factors that hinder the government aim?
In spite of all the efforts of the government through various Schemes and Programs, equity is a big issue. Certain sections of the society, like people living in remote, inaccessible villages in hills, are hard to reach. These areas are populated mainly by Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe, inhabited by homeless, tribals or Below Poverty Line sections. These communities are deprived of basic health care due to services not accessible, or services, which these communities access by incurring high out of the pocket expenditure. Another important reason for this pathetic state is Health Institutions not equitably distributed, and most of the Primary and Community Health Centres in rural areas are ill-equipped with Manpower and other infrastructure. Most of the Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres are without Doctors and other crucial Para-Medical Staff. All these contribute to the perilous state of Health Care, as it drives away the needy to the monstrous Private Sector with unsympathetic practices, who fleece the poor and drive them to the abyss of poverty.
The Solution
Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are an innovation to address these gaps; MMUs have been envisaged to provide a set of preventive, promotive and curative services at the doorsteps of deprived populations. In this context, SEVAK, in a joint venture with the United Social Welfare Association of Belgaum, has been running six units of Mobile Health Units in 68 remote villages in Belagavi, Khanapur (2 units), Hukkeri, Ratbag and Gokak blocks of Belagavi district.
Under this project, the most remote and difficult to reach areas/villages far away from a fixed health facility with poor outreach services have been identified for each MMU to bring them under Mobile Medical Unit care. SEVAK has established Mobile Medical Units Service with the stipulated vehicle, Manpower, equipment, drugs and specified diagnostic services and has been providing more than 6 hours of preventive, promotive and curative services every day at the identified villages on fixed days, every week. There is a flexible, feasible and suitable methodology, work plan, monitoring mechanism with appropriate indicators to meet the objectives of MMU Services. Thus, SEVAK, in a joint venture with the United Social Welfare Association of Belgaum, operationalizes six Mobile Medical Unit which effectively provides outreach preventive and promotive services through the field staff. The joint venture creates awareness about various NHM and State Programs, increases demand for health services, facilitates access to services in Government facilities, timely referral and improved community participation for health.
The objectives of running Mobile Medical Units are:
- To ensure assured fixed daycare services in fixed locations for 3-4 hours in identified villages.
- To provide quality Primary Health Care services, including referral services as per the objectives of NHM and the Government of Karnataka.
- To contribute to improvements in IMR, MMR and CMR and other health goals in the designated areas by reducing Infant & Maternal Mortality and infectious diseases like malaria, T.B., AIDS, pneumonia, water-borne diseases etc.,
- To provide essential health care services for chronic illness such as Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Epilepsy, Chronic Bronchitis, Chronic Bronchial Asthma, Chronic Arthritis, Acid Peptic Disease (Gastritis) etc.
- To provide minimum Laboratory Investigation such as Urine for Alb & Sugar, Pregnancy test, Blood Sugar level estimation, Hemoglobin estimation etc.,
- To create awareness regarding communicable and non-communicable diseases and their prevention through IEC activities.
- To reduce Out Pocket Expenditure of target populations.
The main activities of the Mobile Health Clinics being run by SEVAK in a joint venture with the United Social Welfare Association are as follows:
- Providing health care facilities in the unreached rural areas with the following services ;
- Preventive, Curative & Promotive Primary Health care services for common illnesses and chronic illness like Hypertension (B.P.), Diabetes mellitus, Respiratory illness (Bronchial Asthma), Epilepsy, Chronic Arthritis, Acid Peptic disease (Gastritis) and Scabies etc.
- First Aid, routine laboratory services like Blood Sugar Level Estimation, Urine for the Pregnancy test, Urine for sugar, Urine for Alb, Blood Hb%, Blood Smear for Malaria test, Blood grouping, Bleeding time/Clotting time, Sputum for AFB, HIV test etc.
- Referral Services.
- Family Planning Services.
- Antenatal & Postnatal Services. HIV test.
- Immunization
- Counselling on all matters, in particular HIV/AIDS.
- Implementation of National Health Programmes.
- Environmental Sanitation and Health Education Activities.
- Management of Bio-Medical Waste (collection, storage and disposal).
- To take up extensive health-related IEC activities and Other Health-Related Services.
Be a part of the beacon that brings hope.
It is said, “think not what your country can do for you, think what you can do for your country and your people”. The opportunity to do something and officiate change is in your hand too. Our joint venture with the United Social Welfare Association of Belgaum has enabled us to help the people in need at times help is most wanted. Join us and be a part of this important mission that will bring change and contribute to the community healthcare of India.
About Us
S E V A K stands for Society for Empowerment through Voluntary Action in Karnataka. S E V A K was founded in the year 2009 as a registered society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 in Belgaum district, Belgaum.
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