|
|
The ultimate goal of SEWA Rural was not
limited to the four walls of the hospital. It was soon
realized that due to a numbers of complex social &
cultural factors, the hospital remains inaccessible to
the vast majority, very often until it is too late.
A
baseline survey of the surrounding villages in the year
1982 revealed the gross neglect of health services.
Children often suffer from measles, diarrhoea,
malnutrition, high incidence of anaemia, malaria and TB
beside an apathy towards women's health. As a result
there is a high mortality rate among women &
children. Many of these deaths were related to diseases
which were unfortunately preventable.
The above
mentioned rural health scenario prompted SEWA Rural to
formulate & commence project of health care at door
steps initially in 10 villages in 1982. Later on it was
expanded to cover 40 villages and Govt. entrusted
Jhagadia PHC was managed for more than 10 years. This
happened for the first time in the country. The targets
of Health for all by 2000 were achieved by SEWA Rural
much before the target deadline due to new approaches
and innovations. It included reduction in infant
mortality rate and birth rate and substantial increase
in coverage of maternal care and vaccination. |
|
While PHC was being returned to
Government, a formal First Referral Unit (FRU) was
granted in 1999 by Unicef and Govt. of Gujarat under its
Safe Motherhood Initiative. This recognition provided
Valuable support to community based new project
undertaken in 2003 to reduce the maternal and new born
mortality & morbidity covering entire 168 villages
of Jhagadia Block. Under this project it is planned to
study, understand as well as evolve appopriate
strategies and Innovative interventions so as to improve
the outcome of pregnant women and new born
babies.
Systematic evaluations about conclusions
& experiences of community health project were done
by two external agencies. The findings of recently
carried out in-depth review & detailed study jointly
by UNNATI of Ahmedabad and Community Medicine Department
of Govt. Medical College, Baroda have been well
documented in the book titled " Making
of a Primary Health Centre : The SEWA Rural
Experience". The rich experience and its
lessons turn out to be of considerable relevance not
only to NGOs or Govt., but to all those involved and
interested in community health work including field
experts, academicians, medical colleges and even to
students both from medical and paramedical
fields.
|
