Project Brief :
Basic community health information and services are sorely lacking among the Dalit (excluded) and other extremely deprived and backward sections of rural communities. Although public health services are available at the block and district level, the illiterate and semi-literate community members are generally unaware of how they can benefit from routine health care and have equally little understanding of the basic health practices that prevent common infections and other health problems, especially in the area of reproductive and child health.
While only small changes are required to make a big difference, interventions must be introduced with great care and thoughtful planning in order to have a sustained impact. IDF, funded by Geneva Global, embarked on a three-year project to improve overall health indicators in 47 villages in the Muzaffarpur district, with particular emphasis on reducing infant mortality rates and maternal mortality ratios and raising immunization rates.
As a result of the intervention, notable progress was made. As adolescent girls, newly married couples, and pregnant women received basic health, hygiene, and family planning messages—delivered using simple visual and oral materials that they could all understand—they began adopting new practices and became committed to spreading the word throughout their villages to ensure that all community members acquire the basic knowledge required to enjoy better health and gain access to public health services when they need them.