Health Care Programs
With over one billion people, India accounts for 16% of the world's population and 21% of the world's global burden of disease. Since Independence, the country has made substantial gains in the health sector. However, in a country as vast as India, health indicator averages mark disparities that exist between urban and rural population, between states and between cities and with districts.
The country has created a vast public health infrastructure comprising 1,45,0000 sub centers, 23,000 Public Health Centers (PHC's) and 3,222 City Health Centers (CHC's) but, this vast infrastructure caters only 20% of the population. Poor access to health, results in numerous pockets of under-served population where the vicious circle of poverty, malnutrition and poor health reinforce each other. Unsatisfactory health indices call for active involvement of NGO's and Civil Society in terms of evolving strategies to improve accessibility to train health care professionals.
Until 2006, TDSS had not ventured in the area of health care. This year, a preliminary intervention in health care was initiated through the Vocational Training component of the Integrated Rural Development Project at Velhe, Pune District. (cf. details in Annual Report of this Project).
In July 2006, we selected and arranged for the training of five young women from Velhe Budruk and Velhe Taluka, ages 17 – 21 years. These young women were admitted to the 9 months Community Nursing Training Programme conducted by (NGO) Ashankur at Bhokar, Ahmednagar District. The five have done well, and have also profited from the allied components of the nursing programme, learning Basic English, ethical values, environmental care and community living.
The trainees completed their final exam and were awarded preliminary certificates on 3rd April 2007. By June 2007, their final passing certificates had been received from the Nursing Council, Miraj. Four out of five nursing trainees are now actively engaged in nursing at Velhe, Katraj and Rahuri. The fifth one is preparing for a Diploma Course in General Nursing and Midwifery.