Gurgaon, India, May 2004 - The Sehgal Foundation initiated an effective management of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) project in partnership with the Population Foundation of India (PFI) in May 2004. Vaardan Consultants assigned the Foundation to carry out this project by involving Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI- Elected Council) members to study and develop a feasible strategy for effective management of the PHC and the sub-centers in selected villages of Mewat. Upon completion of the project, it is aimed that the quality and sustainability of health care becomes the main focus for its resident population.

In rural areas general access to timely and quality health care is not assured. Curative care is officially available through village health sub-centers and the PHCs. But at the village level, interaction is mostly with the public Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and the Aanganwadi (mother & child care) worker. In reality, most of the sub-centers and PHCs of rural Gurgaon are poorly maintained with rudimentary structures and only the sporadic presence of trained medical staff.

Officials from PFI, Vardaan Consultants the Sehgal Foundation, PRI, and government health functionaries participated in a sensitization workshop. The project objectives including roles and responsibilities of each organization, strategy for data collection, identifying the gaps in the PHC, training and capacity building of the PRI members and advocacy with the government were discussed in detail.

Nine villages have been identified for this project, which include Agon, Nawli, Ahmedbas, Ferozepur Jhirka, Basai Meo, and Biwan in the Ferozepur Jhirka Block as well as Nagina, Ghaghas and Bhadas in Nagina Blocks from the Gurgaon district of Haryana. The first phase of conducting a baseline survey began in August 2004. A team of 13 youth from the villages were selected and trained to carry out the survey. This survey assisted in determining the prevailing health care set up, the institutional information and services available, whether the villagers are aware and availing the services, duties performed by the PRI members, and the role of the community in health care systems.

After analyzing the data, three workers have been identified to carry out the second phase of the project which will continue for several months. They are acting as catalysts between the partner organizations and the government functionaries and have been performing various tasks under the supervision of the Foundation's staff:

Due to these interventions, the Panchayats who were previously inactive are now actively taking part in improving health conditions. They now help mobilize people for RCH sessions, Pulse Polio drives, and other general cleanliness drives in the villages. Villagers are willingly participating and contributing to the cleanliness drives. The Panchayat of Nawli has been instrumental in getting the defunct sub-center cleaned and re-opened. Similarly in Ahmedbas village, the Panchayat has allotted a room for starting a new sub-centre. Panchayats from some of these villages have started directly interacting with the government for repairing their village sub-centers. Agon and Basai Meo are two villages in which repairs have already begun.

Village Health Committees (VHC) have been formed in all nine of the villages. In most cases, the members of the VHC are Dais (mid-wife), Anganwadi workers, ANMs, RMPs and PRIs. They are actively participating in promoting good health and are persistent followers with the Panchayats and the government.

Owing to the encouraging results of this pilot project, the Foundation is experiencing the accomplishments of improving health conditions in the rural areas. It is now considering including this model in its health program and replicate in other villages.

For further information please contact:

The Sehgal Foundation
Dr. (Ms) Ellora Mubashir;
289, Sector 17A,
Gurgaon, Haryana-122001, India