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Operationalising integrated community case management of childhood illnesses by community health workers in rural Haryana
Author(s) -
Taneja Sunita,
Dalpath Suresh,
Bhandari Nita,
Kaur Jasmine,
Mazumder Sarmila,
Chowdhury Ranadip,
Mundra Sudarshan,
Bhan Maharaj Kishan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14428
Subject(s) - medicine , rural community , community health workers , environmental health , case management , community health , rural health , rural area , socioeconomics , nursing , public health , health services , pathology , population , sociology
Aim To conduct implementation research in integrated community case management (ICCM) of childhood pneumonia, diarrhoea and fever by promoting accredited social health activists as treatment providers and generate lessons for upscaling this approach. Methods In this one‐sample study, 49 Accredited Social Health Activists were trained in ICCM. Community awareness and demand generation activities undertaken included announcements, pamphlets and posters. Supplies of medicines and supervision of activists were maintained throughout the 10‐month implementation period. Three cross‐sectional surveys were conducted in households with children aged 2–59 months for documenting two‐week prevalence of illnesses and care‐seeking practices. Focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews were carried out with mothers/grandmothers and activists for documenting perceptions about health activists as treatment providers. Results One third of pneumonia (113/334) and one quarter of diarrhoea (102/408) cases at end‐line were treated by Accredited Social Health Activists. Proportion of households seeking care from private providers (mostly unqualified) reduced significantly from baseline to endline (81–56% for diarrhoea, p < 0.01; 78–48% for pneumonia, p < 0.01). At endline, activists were considered an acceptable and attractive source for treatment near home. Conclusion Trained Accredited Social Health Activists can treat uncomplicated childhood illnesses and are accepted by the community in this role.