Partners with CAIRN, UNICEF and IIT to improve child and maternal healthcare in rural areas
Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pioneering Digital India campaign, HLFPPT has launched an innovative e-ASHA training programme in the remote Suvali block of Surat, an initiative that has been shown to improve child and maternal healthcare delivery.
The initiative – an integrated easy-to-use package on Android platform for Tablets, has been developed by UNICEF in partnership with IIT Jodhpur for evidence-based interventions in integrated management of newborn and childhood illnesses and maternal care.
The package helps in doing assessment situation of women and children and providing counselling on the basis of responses received from the beneficiaries. It saves data developed under pregnancy child tracking system (PCTS) and also prevents the need of multiple entries at various levels. It also works as a reminder mechanism for sending an SMS to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and to the beneficiaries to ensure tracking.
Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT), a non-profit organisation promoted by central PSU HLL Lifecare, rolled out this initiative at Suvali with funding support from CAIRN India as part of its CSR obligation.
The event was attended by officials from CAIRN, HLFPPT and district administration, besides over 300 community members.
“We are happy to witness grassroots innovation as espoused by our PM Modi Ji. I thank and commend HLFPPT for this unique idea and for choosing Suvali for the launch,” said Thakur Bhai Patel, the Taluka Adhyaksh.
HLFPPT, one of the largest NGOs in India’s health sector, had earlier launched the initiative successfully in Rajasthan for Cairn India.
This initiative aims to upgrade the skill of ASHAs and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANMs) at Suvali and Bihen in maternal and newborn care and is part of the Community Health Intervention (CHI) being implemented by HLFPPT as part of CAIRN CSR in the region.
The technology is designed to integrate maternal, antenatal, post-natal care package, childhood care, particularly complimentary feeding and use of ORS and zinc, counselling and assessment checklists for various age groups in one device which is easy to carry and can also use multimedia videos for counselling mothers and family members. Significantly, it will enable real-time outcome-based data monitoring of survival and development status of women and children, which currently is not available.
Highlighting the utility of this training and technology integration, District IEC officer, Vasudev Suthar said it is a small step in the right direction that needs to be scaled up in the entire Surat district. He also lauded CAIRN India and HLFPPT for introducing the project for the first time in Gujarat.
HLFPPT CEO, Sharad Agarwal said the cornerstone of the programme is to contribute to the improvement and sustenance of the health and nutritional status of women and children by creating awareness on maternal and child health issues.
Through the CHI project, HLFPPT has reportedly sensitised over 7,000 people in Suvali, Tena, Puludhra and Junagam villages of Surat district with the primary focus on vulnerable children in the 0-6 age groups, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls.
“At HLFPPT, we are committed to improving the child and maternal health. Leveraging indigenous technology to reach the grassroots, such as the e-ASHA initiative, is another example of our mission to provide innovative solutions where they are needed the most,” Agarwal said.
- Advertisement -