Saturday 1 March 2014


High maternal and neo-natal deaths, malnutrition and Encephalitis are some of the very pertinent health issues of the rural area of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. As a matter of fact, these issues are somewhere responsible for the overall backwardness of the villages. Keeping in view the necessity of supporting the people in the village to overcome the health issues Purvanchal Gramin Seva Samiti (PGSS) in collaboration with MANOS UNIDAS came up with a new programme named Swatha Gram, Viksit Gram (Healthy villages, Developed villages). The programme began on April,2013.


Main Objecctive of the Programme

A healthy and prosperous society is emerged through preventive, participatory and rights based approaches in the entire state of Uttar Pradesh.

Strategic objectives of the project:

  1. Information dissemination and sensitisation of the 80% of the focus community on malnutrition, preventive aspects of Encephalitis in 50 gram panchayats of Deoria and Kushinagar districts by the end of   project
  2. Providing support to 80%  of the focus community through rights based approach to fight against Encephalitis in  50 gram panchayats of Deoria and Kushinagar districts by the end of the   project 

Focus areas of the programme:

  1. Desai Deoria block (Deoria district)
  2. Patehrdeva block    (Deoria district)
  3. Padrauna block       (Kushinagar district)
  4. Hata block               (Kushinagar district)




Focus groups of the programme

  • Poorest of the poor families
  • Suspected cases of Encephalitis
  • Encephalitis patients/their families
  • Community based organisations
  • VHSNCs (earlier known as VHSC. With an addition of nutritional component, the committee is assumes new responsibilities of engaging with and monitor status, issues and action pertaining to nutrition)
  • Pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children in the age group of 0-5 years.

Major Activities in the programme

  • Topical discussions in CBO meetings on Encephalitis minimization and nutritional care of pregnant women, lactating mothers and children in age group of 0-5 years 
  • Wall writings on precautions, referral, nutritional care of focus groups and other relevant issues
  • Street plays on Encephalitis   and nutritional care of focus group
  • Mobilizing CBOs to access chlorine tablets/bleaching powder from PHC/untied fund from Panchayats for inputs required for cleaning drives
  • Ensuring cleaning drives in villages
  • Placement of posters on prominent places 
  • Distribution of pamphlets 
  • Recorded announcements
  • Quiz programmes on Encephalitis 
  • One day training of piggery owners
  • Ensuring monthly/fortnightly cleaning of piggeries
  • School awareness programmes and panchayat level rallies with schools
  • Two days’ training of team of voluntary organizations (VOs)  at PGSS on minimization of malnutrition and Encephalitis
  • Quarterly meetings with VOs on the issues
  • Demonstration on field based activities (mass cleaning/chlorination/mobilization of ANM for immunization etc. in the focus area of network partners)
  • Workshops with parents of Encephalitis patients/government officials/PRIs/government officials and other stakeholders for experience sharing and determining the road map
  • One day Panchayat level training of  VHSNCs  on Encephalitis minimization and nutritional care of focus groups for Encephalitis minimization
  • Regular participation in the meetings of VHSNCs for advocacy to release untied fund for health works and to integrate health issues in the village development plans
  • Providing referral cards to suspected cases
  • Mobilising CBOs for availing of the services of ANMs for vaccination of children against Encephalitis
  • Providing conveyance support to suspected cases/ children for check-up or immunization (Hiring of ambulance)
  • Village level trainings of members of MMs on the concept of MMs, role of MMs in Encephalitis minimization and nutritional care of focus groups for Encephalitis minimization
  • Formation of adolescent girls’ groups (AGGs)
  • Village level training of members of  AGGs on the concept of AGGs, role of AGGs in Encephalitis minimization and nutritional care of focus groups for Encephalitis minimization
  • Formation of mothers’ groups for promoting nutrition care of focus groups
  • Sensitization of mothers’ groups (comprising   pregnant, lactating and mothers in law)  by project staff on IYCF: through monthly meetings of MGs 
  • Meetings with PHC/CHC/Chief Medical Officer and other government officials for facilitating VHNDs /RI Days in the focus area
  • GP level orientation  of VHSNCs  on BSPM and Village Health Nutrition days (4 members/VHSNC)
  • Village level capacity building of AWW and ASHA in on their roles/ responsibilities and IPC
  • Thematic meetings with Community groups on each of the four Saturdays. Kishori (adolescent) groups   and MMs on Weekly Nutrition Health Days (WHNDs)  in all the months   
  • Joint home visits with  ASHA and AWW to families of pregnant women and families of infants for influencing immunization and  IYCF behaviour and practices through demonstration and IPC
  • Ensuring the participation of MG members on Second Saturday at AWC on nutrition intervention package
  • Panchayat level puppet shows on nutritional care of focus groups
  • Participation in meetings of VHSNCs and advocacy for tapping untied fund of Panchayats for development works in villages
  • Handholding support to ASHAs/ANMs/AWWs for monthly facilitation of VHNDs
  • Ensuring best IYCF practices and complete immunization through home visits, demonstration and IPC
  • Community level meetings on program issues by project staff in the presence of AWWs, ASHAs/VHSNCs.