Health is a basic right of a citizen and contributes largely to the Human Development Index. Improved access to health facilities and services has always remained a challenge and the government has been trying to improve it with the inclusion of new schemes and measures. However, in the areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, the geographical and security challenges have worsened the situation. Improving the facilities and services requires an integrated effort and also some localized solutions.
Jitendra Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner and an IAS of 2008 batch has been putting all his efforts to bring in systemic governance reforms in the district. In August 2018, two young energetic minds, having the zeal to support the government administration and strengthen the existing system, joined the Chatra district as Aspirational District Fellows, appointed by Tata Trusts. This trio collaborated efficiently and changed the dynamics of the district from a coercion based model of development to a consensus-based model of development, especially in the health sector.
Chatra District, having Hazaribagh district on the east and Gaya district on the north has witnessed a very serious phase of Left Wing Extremism. The district is gifted with natural resources where around 60 % of geography has forest coverage and have large hilly terrain. The hilly terrain has caused a different set of challenges for the district in ensuring accessibility, availability, affordability of basic health services for its citizen. The trio had moved extensively to the remotest locations and realized the poor status of maternal and child health services.
Transforming Anganwadis and Providing Joyful Learning:
Majority of the Anganwadi centres were in dilapidated conditions, having no/ minimal facilities for which the six essential services under ICDS are severely affected. The Deputy Commissioner decided to transform these AWCs to facilities like any other urban playschool and ensure the best form of preschool learning to the children of Chatra.
This resolution seeded the Project Aangan, an initiative to transform the existing Anganwadi centres into Interactive and Child-friendly learning spaces and was formally launched in October 2018. An SoP was developed and for improving the six services, gap assessment was done. Anganwadis were provided with the necessary equipment and interactive learning materials.
The ICDS Department and Anganwadi Didi were the key to bringing transformation of these buildings into learning centres. These centres have now become a space for joyful learning. A sample study was conducted where the findings reveal significant improvement in the attendance of children and the duration of time they spend on the campus. More than 200 AWCs have been transformed.
A glimpse of Model Aanganwadi centers in Chatra district Jharkhand
Swasthya Chatra; an umbrella program with a series of simple yet innovative solutions to improve the health service delivery in the district:
The positive outcome of Project Angan built confidence to improve more such services with the help of the existing line department machinery. Swasthya Chatra, an umbrella program to improve health services in the district was launched and a series of steps have been taken. The initiative envisions for bridging the gap in the demand and supply of public health services and ensuring Accessibility, Affordability, and Availability of services for its citizen. Under this umbrella programme, four major initiatives were taken.
1. Project Nidan: Improving the diagnosis services by using Health Cube;
2. Arogya Kunji: A customized kit for frontline health workers for outreach of basic services;
3. Bike Ambulance: Improving emergency referral services in hard to reach areas.
4. Mobile Malnutrition Treatment Van
Project Nidan: In any district, clinical labs play a vital role in the diagnosis of disease. The Chatra district also is having a severe shortage of such labs. To increase the testing lab facilities, there is a need for strengthening the existing facilities and opening of new facilities.
While the strengthening of the existing facilities was taken up on priority, use of Health Cube, a patented diagnostic machine was promoted. The device is used to carry out 24 different types of diagnostic tests for the early detection of diseases.
Health Cubes were provided in the Community Health Centres. The services were offered free of cost. As the device is potable, services were offered in public events and reached out to many beneficiaries. Results were provided instantly.
The district has always faced disruption in power supply. As this device does not require a power supply for testing, the concern of unavailability of electricity for conducting the test was reduced to some extent.
A glimpse of Health Cube diagnostic device used in Chatra district
Arogya Kunji; a Sahiya’s kit for delivering health services in remotest pockets:
Frontline health workers, especially the Sahiyas (ASHA Di…
