Volume : VIII, Issue : I, January - 2018

Counselors Program

Dr. Ashish Satav

Abstract :

 

Voluntary organizations of Melghat and government (Zilla Parishad, Amravati) started the counsellor program in all government hospitals of Melghat in 2006–07  with the objective of strengthening the government hospitals with external monitoring and improving the health status of pregnant ladies and children of Melghat. The ultimate goal was to reduce child and maternal deaths. Before the program, the condition of  most of the government hospitals were bad, patients were not treated after 12 noon, most of the severely malnourished babies were given poor quality of food, referral facilities were poor , ambulance services were poor  even for serious patients, hygiene of hospitals were very bad . The medical treatment provided was not satisfactory.  Patients were reluctant for hospitalization of severely malnourished babies due to superstitions, poor socio economic conditions and negative attitude of hospital staff.

             The joint counsellor program was working in proper fashion till January 2010. Ex.  district collector of Amaravati, Dr. Bhapkar (IAS) and ex CEO –ZP , Mr. Mutthuswami (IAS)  were very much convinced with the utility of program and asked for  continuation of the program. Due to the program,  there was significant qualitative and quantitative improvement in all hospitals of Melghat. The number of patients attending the OPD and indoor services increased by 13% while the expenditure for the same was just less than 5%. Numbers of hospital deliveries were increased from 5% to 15%. The duration of stay of severely malnourished babies increased. The referral facilities, ambulance services, food quality to severely malnourished babies & hygiene improved. The hospitals are providing services to patients for 24 hours and the attitude of staff towards patients improved. Bhavishya Alliance, an international tri–sectorial partnership conducted third party evaluation of the program and recommended continuation of the program. Even it has potential to be replicated in other tribal block of Maharashtra.  Most of the  medical officers of PHCs have given good remark about most of the counsellors.

              A PIL was put by KHOJ and MAHAN in Mumbai high court as the program was stopped without any prior information to the acting body during Jan 2010.  Honorable chief justice of Mumbai High court responded quickly and gave the motivating decision of continuation of the counsellors. Even high court advised government to replicate the program in other tribal blocks of Maharashtra.

Now the program is extended to Government hospitals of Amravati and Achalpur along with Melghat. This is the first effort in India. This innovation has been well regarded by many national and international experts.

Keywords :

Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

Dr. Ashish Satav, Counselors Program, INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH : Volume-8 | Issue-1 | January-2018

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