National Rural Health Mission, Nicobar District:
Recognizing the importance of Health in the process of economic and social development and improving the quality of life of our citizens, the Government of India had launched the National Rural Health Mission in the year 2005 to carry out necessary architectural correction in the basic health care delivery system subsequently the Government had launched National Urban Health Mission followed by National Health Mission. The flagship programme of NRHM is strengthened under the umbrella of National Health Mission which will have universal coverage. The focus on covering rural areas and rural population will continue along with up scaling of NRHM to include non-communicable diseases and expanding health coverage to urban areas. The launch of National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) as a Sub-mission of an over-arching National Health Mission (NHM), with National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) being the other Sub-mission of National Health Mission. NHM is based upon “Attainment of Universal Access to Equitable, Affordable and quality health care services, accountable and responsive to people’s needs with effective inter sectoral convergent action to address the wider social determinants of Health. The Plan of Action includes range and delivery services, equity, and health system strengthening and district programme management.
NHM has six financing components:
- NRHM-RCH Flexipool,
- NUHM Flexipool,
- Flexible pool for Communicable disease,
- Flexible pool for Non communicable disease including Injury and Trauma,
- Infrastructure Maintenance and
- Family Welfare Central Sector component.
DISTRICT HEALTH SOCIETY, Nicobar:
Institutional Arrangements:
- District Health Society, Nicobar was set up in the month of November 2007.
- Proper office with Infrastructures was established in the month of March 2008.
For raising the District Hospitals and Community Health Centres to the level of Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) for making them into a First Referral Unit (FRU) and also for making the Primary Health Centre 24X7 functional the major gap identified in Nicobar Islands is the Shortage of Specialists and GDMOs. Further the Sub Centres being the first contact point for the communities therefore making the Sub Centres functional 24X7 is the major and foremost goal which is to be reached and to achieve this goal providing an Additional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (AANM) of the key area which is to be concentrated on. There are a total of 36 Sub Centres in Nicobar Islands and The District Health society could address this problem with the help of the State Health Society by engaging the following human resource in the FY 2008-09 at different levels.
Village Health & Sanitation Committees (VHSCs):
- 60 VHSC has been constituted & their bank account opened. Village Health & Nutrition Days (every alternate month in each village) in collaboration with VHSC, ANM, AWW & ASHA to give the health services at the doorstep of villagers has been commenced from May’08.
- Proper banks accounts have been opened for all 60 VHSCs and fund also has been transferred to respective VHSC.
Sub Centres:
- 36 Sub-Centres are functional.
- All with one ANM each.