For most of the privileged lot, it’s difficult to imagine a life where you could not reach out to a doctor during a health emergency. But that’s not how life has been for lakhs of people, including children and pregnant women. Poverty, lack of awareness, inaccessible healthcare services and shortage of doctors are some of the numerous reasons preventing people from surviving and thriving. It is for those people that community health programmes have become not just a life changer but also a saviour.
What is the Community Health Programme?
Community Health Programmes (CHPs) are awareness and treatment programmes provided mainly to those living below the poverty line. They aim at improving the well-being and health status of a particular community. These programmes are designed in such a way to address various health issues through education, prevention and ensuring access to healthcare services. They are multidisciplinary programmes involving collaboration between multiple stakeholders like government agencies, healthcare providers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the community. It can be implemented in a variety of settings like educational institutions, workplaces and neighbourhoods by establishing clinics, mobile health units or telehealth services. Most of the time, they are nonprofit and get funding through government grants or donations.
Talking about the CHPs, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says that these programmes are vital for bringing essential services to remote locations. Through the programmes, community health workers are helping communities make informed choices about their well-being and health by building trust. For they include initiatives to educate community members about health issues, healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, nutrition and other health services. They also sow a sense of ownership over health initiatives by fostering community engagement. The programmes aim at reducing the incidence and prevalence of diseases by conducting preventive services like health screenings, awareness campaigns and vaccinations. Thereby paving the path for a healthier community.
They address inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes among different segments of the population. They also play a vital role in achieving global health security by supporting pandemic preparedness and emergency response and reducing the health impacts of climate change.
Need for more community health programmes
Countries like India that have a vast geographic landscape and diverse population face significant challenges in ensuring public access to healthcare. A large population resides in rural areas, and they do not have proper access to medical care and treatment during emergencies. Also, the health landscape remains complex and multifaceted, right from the burden of communicable diseases to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Community Health Programmes remain a big hope in addressing these challenges and improving the country’s health outcomes. Some of the pressing reasons why there is an urgent need for more community health programmes in the country are as below.
Addressing health disparities:
Inequalities in healthcare are extremely high in small and rural areas where per capita income is lower, there is a shortage of doctors, and hospitals are unavailable. They lack even the bare minimum healthcare facilities due to socioeconomic factors. These communities are at high risk of exposure to extreme poverty, unhygienic health conditions, and other risk factors to lead a healthy life. At these places, community health programmes can bridge gaps by providing targeted interventions like diabetes education in regions with a higher diabetic rate to underserved populations. Also, to make services more accessible in health centres, telehealth services or mobile health units can be set up. This in turn will ensure that everyone has access to essential healthcare services.
Strengthening health education:
CHPs play an important role in strengthening health education within communities. Because only by fostering awareness, skills, and knowledge can one empower communities to make more informed health decisions. The programmes are often tailored to cater to the requirements of a specific community, often reflecting their health needs and cultural contexts. A customised approach is vital while conducting such programmes. For it makes the information not just relevant and relatable but also makes it more effective. Since community leaders, teachers and other trusted people are involved, such programmes gain credibility and people come forward to discuss their health issues without any hesitation. CHPs are also aimed at empowering individuals to understand medical terminology, navigate healthcare systems, and evaluate health information critically. This in turn equips individuals to advocate for their health more effectively.
Promotes preventive care:
Preventive care is essential both to reduce the incidences of diseases and improve the overall health of a community. Multiple health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes, can be prevented through education and lifestyle modifications. At a time when there has been an increase in the number of patients with such health issues, the need for community health programmes has increased more than ever. Through such programmes, free or low-cost health screenings for various health conditions and vaccinations are provided to make preventive services accessible to people. These programmes often run health campaigns on target issues like smoking cessation, nutrition, exercise and mental health awareness, encouraging individuals to adopt healthier behaviours.
Smile Foundation’s role
Understanding the difficulties in providing last-mile healthcare services in a country like India, which is geographically widespread and populous, several organisations have come forward in assisting the government, Smile Foundation is not just one among them but also a forerunner in taking primary healthcare services to the marginalised communities across the country.
Through our comprehensive and community-centric health programmes, the organisation aims at taking primary healthcare services to the doorsteps of underserved communities without any geographical differences. We follow a two-pronged approach and offer curative and preventive services. This approach helps us to address the gaps in availing of, accessing or affording healthcare services.
The foundation works towards encouraging health-seeking behaviour, strengthening government systems, reducing out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare, improving access to maternal and child care, and addressing the disease burden of communities.
We have fully-equipped mobile healthcare units to reach out to the marginalised communities. The units are staffed with both paramedics and doctors and offer OPD services, point-of-care test facilities and medicines. Staffed with paramedics, the foundation through e-health kiosks and telemedicine centres connect people from remote locations with experts.
In 2022–23, the organisation has sensitised over 75,000 people on health and hygiene practices. Over 80,000 people benefited through our telemedicine projects and 77,000 people received relief support under emergency and disaster support.
In India, the need for community health programmes is imperative to address multifarious and intricate health issues. These programmes, which emphasise prevention, education and community involvement, have the potential to greatly enhance health outcomes, lessen inequities and provide people the tools they need to take control of their health. Investing in community health will be crucial to building a healthier and more just society in India as it goes forward.