District Level Workshop, Hazaribag

On Community Monitoring Of Health Services
Date: 22.04.2008
Venue: Station Club, Hazaribagh

Participants : VHC members (numbering 150) ,DMG members, NGO partners and state representatives.

As decided in the second meeting of the DMG on 12/04/08 to organize a district level workshop on community monitoring of health services, the said workshop was held on 22/04/08 at Station Club, Hazaribagh from 11 am. The session was inaugurated by lighting of lamps by the DMG members and VHC representative. All the dignitaries were welcomed by presentation of bouquet.

The session started with the welcome address by Sh. Jai Prakash Singh, district NGO representative from Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra. He further elaborated on the objectives of organizing such workshop in the light of community based monitoring of health services under NRHM. He also informed the participants about the role and responsibility of the VHC under CBM . The aim and objective of NRHM was explained to the participants by way of presentation by Sh. Bhasker Chakravarty of CINI and Ms. Puja of Srijan foundation.

Dr. Suranjeen of CINI deliberated in detail about the role of VHC in community based monitoring of health services. H e asked the representatives to spare at least two days to have meeting with ANM, AWW and MOIC of the area to finalize the village health plan so that the program could be made more fruitful and it’s implementation is done in a much effective way. Dr. PK Sinha, MOIC of Ichak block welcomed monitoring of health services by the community as it will help in achieving the desired result of NRHM which aims at providing quality health services to the last person of the society and it will help in reducing MMR and IMR and also in achieving complete immunization, will promote safe delivery and control break out of epidemics. Mr. Shivendu Jaipuriar ,DMG member focused on the importance of community monitoring of health services and on role of NGOs in making the program a real tool of making the aim of health for all a reality. Sh .Swapan Manna another DMG member stressed on the need for community monitoring. He emphasized that village health plan made by the stake-holders will result into better delivery system by the providers.

An opportunity was given to the VHC representatives of the three blocks to get the feedback as they are the person on whom the onus of making village plan and it’s effective implementation depends. They all were very appreciative about the program as it will provide them an opportunity to monitor various health services at the village level. Mr. Premchand of CINI focused on the mechanism of community monitoring and the role of village health committee. Dr. Balkeshwar Prasad, CMO of Hazaribagh informed the participants about different health programs of the government and about the modalities to avail them. He asked the VHC members to be vigilant about health needs of their respective area and to make health plan as per needs and requirement of the local populace. His main focus was on making the VHCs functional to avail government grant of Rs.10000/-. He further asked them to open bank account of their respective VHCs to avail this facility and to achieve the goals of NRHM. He asked for a proper coordination between the service providers and Sahiyyas and VHCs ,so that the benefit reaches to the last person. He further informed that in order to provide services at the door level of stakeholders the government of Jharkhand have provided Hazaribagh district with a mobile dispensary. Dr. AK Manjhi, ACMO Hazaribagh , informed in detail about immunization and family planning programs and asked the participants to avail it without any hesitation as it is meant for them. Dr. AP Singh, district RCH officer and nodal officer of CBM, called for a concerted and coordinated effort by the VHC and government departments to make the objectives of NRHM a reality. He asked for total transparency and active participation of all concerned to make. UNICEF representative Sh. Nandjee Dubey asked all concerned not to make it a tool of fault finding otherwise the very purpose of CBM will be lost. Before concluding deliberation a demonstration by the Kala Jatha team was given. Their performance was appreciated by one and all. At the onset it was decided that route plan of kala jatha will be finalized by the respective CSOs in consultation with the DMG. The deliberations ended with vote of thanks by Sh. Sheo Kumar Singh of RKSM