In rural areas health and nutrition are critical issues resulting in high levels of infant and mother mortality. The Mahila Mandals (Women’s Groups) through training processes have understood the inter-linked nature of health, nutrition and livelihood activities. Health committees are formed by Vikas Sevikas (Women Development Animators) in each village and surveys of health problems are made. On the basis of social diagnosis of the health problems, the Vikas Sevika and the health staff, plan health and nutrition programmes every year. The activities under health and nutrition include the following:

Community Health Education –

Community health education process enables people to adopt healthy lifestyles which can keep away the doctor and the medicine. The Vikas Sevikas are taught basic facts on prevention and identification of common diseases in the villages. Simple and basic information materials on identification and treatment of common diseases have been developed and used as training materials. While health education is imparted at the institutional level through the training of Vikas Sevikas and Mahila Mandal representatives, at the community level the Community Learning Centers (CLCs) play a crucial role in facilitating health education.

Village Clinics and Health camps –

The village clinics are held regularly in each CLC catering to eight to ten villages of the neighborhood. The medical doctors visit the village clinics twice a week and dispenses medicine to the poor and help them to learn useful help tips. Health Camps are also a regular monthly activity in the villages. The health camps are organised by Mahila Mandals with full participation of the people. Timing of the camps and the type of specialists needed for the camps are decided by the woman’s groups. In general, women, children and the aged are the major beneficiaries of health camps.

Health check-up for Elderly

Nutrition Programmes –

Since inception of IIRD, community nutrition programmes have been a core activity. Nutrition demonstration programmes organised at field levels in various villages provide opportunity for women to use available resources within village communities for enhancing the nutritional status of their families. Recipes prepared on the basis of indigenous knowledge and understanding of nutritional values have gone a long way in improving the knowledge and practices of the villages communities. Research studies have revealed that substantial improvements have occurred in the understanding and practice of better nutrition in selected villages served by IIRD. Nutrition demonstration programmes in the villages have became an internal part of field action programmes. Nutrition demonstration programmes are also used as an entry point strategy. It enables community development staff of IIRD to assess leadership qualities among village woman and observe levels of participation and acceptance of women leaders. The nutrition programmes are also linked to promotion of home gardens through organic agricultural practices. Since nutrition education and training programmes are intertwined with action programmes in field levels, villagers have joined insight to solve their basic problems relating to food security and improvement in nutritional status.