Communitisation of Health Care

Promoting Community Action under NRHM

The first phase of Community-based Monitoring across nine states started in March 2007, and ended on March 31, 2009. The monitoring process involved the capacity building of planning and monitoring committees at different levels to conduct an enquiry into the functioning of the different components of NRHM and uptake of key services. It was an empowering process for the community because it provided the knowledge of different entitlements, services standards and services guarantees that are provided within the NRHM. It also gave them an opportunity to discuss and engage with the health care providers and managers on issues of service delivery. The entire process was facilitated by a set of state level secretariats and a national secretariat which were set up in consultation with the MoHFW and the Mission at the respective levels. CHSJ along with Population Foundation of India (PFI) jointly managed the national secretariat of this entire process.

The community monitoring project officially ended in March 2009 but a few states continued the process throughout the year and had this process included in their state Programme Implementation Plans (PIP). Efforts were also undertaken to introduce community monitoring in all state PIPs by the Advisory Group on Community Action (AGCA). CHSJ was also invited to participate in the Common Review Mission of NRHM (Uttarakhand ) and the PIP formulation process ( Bihar ).

Website and Resource Material

During the current year CHSJ was involved in developing a Community Monitoring website- www.nrhmcommunityaction.org that contains comprehensive information on the different processes of community monitoring. The website also provides easy access to the different report cards prepared as a result of community monitoring through an online searchable database. CHSJ also finalised a series of three manuals for different stakeholders in the process. The Manual for Managers is made with special focus on managers involved in the implementation of NRHM. The Trainers Manual includes detailed session outlines and resource materials for the different training programmes that constitute the process. The Manual on Community Monitoring consists of community monitoring tools that are to be used for conducting the enquiry at the village and facility levels.