Sunder Lal

Participatory health communication and action through women groups in rural areas

Twelve women groups in 10 villages of block Beri were identified and activized through participatory health communication actions for mother and child development. Women could undertake responsibilities on key health problems concerning mothers and children. In these villages over 58% of antenatal mothers now used home made clean packets for delivery and chose right place for delivery. Most of them (60%) now initiate breast feeding immediately after delivery as against 23% in the year 1988. Over 54% of women now drink chlorinated water and almost same proportion used sugar salt solution in diarrheal diseases. Thus women have become self reliant in chlorination of wells and pots as also in diarrheal diseases management. Practice of hand washing has been almost universalized.

Better primary health care services utilization through integrated child development service scheme in Haryana.

The pattern of utilization of selected maternal and child health services before and after the commissioning of integrated child development services scheme at Rural Project Kathura has been compared. There was a marked reduction in prevalence of severe degrees of malnutrition in under six children from 17.6 to 8.4 per cent attributable to delivary of a package of services and interventions.

Empowering young girls for health and development

Yuvati Vikas Kendra (YVK) model of empowering young girls in the age bracket of 7–19 years could raise the level of awareness and generate self-esteem and self-confidence in over 50% of young girls over a period of six months of operation. The YVK model was utilised by 37–55% of enrolled girls in different age brackets; thus these centres functioned well below their installed capacity. Functional inter-sectoral linkages have to be developed for better impact and better coverage. Data based information from other models of empowerment such as schools, non-formal system of education and Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, is called for to choose different alternatives for our country, as no uniform system can succeed in this vast country. Diversified modes and approaches for empowerement of young girls are needed.