HYDERABAD: Mahila Arogya Samitis were launched by the Indian government with the aim of community mobilization which enables sustained improvement in health and development needs of slum-dwellers. However, the progress of MAS of at least 42 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State have been found to be poor under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). This is expected to have a direct effect on health of slum-dwellers, which are the primary aim of the program.
Jagtial tops the list of poor performers in the State with 84 groups formed, which are only 32 per cent of the required number. Bhainsa stood next with 30 of the total 86 groups (35 per cent). GHMC had 1,771 groups out of 4,576 (39 per cent) while Adilabad 111 out of 225 (49 per cent).Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) being one of the ULBs with poor performance was asked by the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) to facilitate the programme on MAS activities under NUHM community process in convergence with Health Department and see that progress is made by first week of January 2019.
MEPMA officials said that people’s collective action is needed for the government to fulfil its mandate of providing food, safe drinking water and basic health services to all people. But this is not possible unless changes occur at the grass root levels. People need to organise together in order to ensure ‘Health for All’. This is the right and duty of every person living in this country. MAS is a vehicle for such collective action. MAS can work along with the rest of the community to improve the health status of their slum/coverage area. To improve health, citizens have to work on all determinants of health.
MAS in one of the key interventions under NUHM aimed at promoting community participation in health at all levels, including planning, implementing and monitoring of health programmes. MAS has to take collective action on issues related to health, nutrition, water, sanitation and social determinants at the slum level and move towards decentralisation of health planning.
Poorly performing ULBs
Jagtial, Bhainsa, Gadwal, Kothagudem, GHMC, Ramagundem, Secunderabad Cantonment Board, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Armoor, Mahbubnagar, Metpally, Zaheerabad, Bellampally, Siddipet, Jangaoan, Vikarabad, Bhongir, Mancheriyal, Suryapet, Kamareddy, Khammam, Sangareddy, Karimnagar, Warangal, Sircilla and Nirmal.