Page 215 - PDI Vol 2

In West Bengal, the Panchayat Standing Committee is involved Planning a time frame
in maintaining a health & nutrition database, coordination with
Health indicators improvements’ plans require the involvement
health institutions, facilitation of GP health plans, while the
of officials, the GP and the Committees. Different indicators
VHSNC’s main task is increasing community awareness &
would have different time frames for improvement. Anaemia
involvement in health programmes, as well as to provide
Mukt Bharat and the indicator on percentage of pregnant
support to health staff.
women and lactating mothers with anaemia, adolescent girls
th
15th Finance Commission grants: The 15 FC has allocated health, children with anaemia, malnutrition all can be seen for
funds to GPs for strengthening healthcare. These are to be the fixing of a timeline that may be similar and within a year.
utilised for establishing Block Public health units, disease What levels of improvement are to be achieved would be part of
surveillance labs, construction & upgradation of buildings the progress in subsequent years, till the target level is achieved.
identified for PHCs, Sub health centres or conversion into It is important for GPs to know where they start, their populace
HWCs (Health & Wellness centres). affected, and where they are to improve, till what level. Mental

Resource allocation to Health sector in various schemes and health and children with disabilities, would be requiring a time
National Missions – NHM, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, Poshan frame based on what interventions are doable and what the GP
Abhiyaan, etc are mostly implemented through the official set can support.
up and the role of GPs laid down in the guidelines needs to Connect to SANKALP
implemented in letter and spirit. All are aware of the GPs rising
Panchayats may choose to achieve a specific Target, in totality
to the challenge thrown by COVID, on all fronts.
or part of a Theme within a year with a resolution or ‘Sankalp’
Funding to GP under JJM, SBM, MGNREGA are having direct which will be the focal point for that year. They may plan to
relevance to health. Use of the various components therein for reduce the incidence of malaria in their Panchayat, or in line
addressing their issues can be demanded by the GP. with the GoI focus, make their achievement in that area/

On achieving Healthy Village, the GoI Ministries and indicator. Using the same example of Anaemia Mukt Bharat.
Departments concerned have brought together the Joint Unless the GP is empowered and involved to join forces with
Advisory with the initiative taken by the MoPR, where the the health and medical personnel (including para-medicals and
convergent working, data sharing, training, planning, public health officials), achieving the target and goal for the
implementation, monitoring etc with involvement of PRIs has country would not be possible.
been stated as, to be and will be done.
Actions required
The State Government must ensure this reaches all field
Actions for a healthy village can be categorised as for
officials concerned and action plans worked accordingly.
prevention, promotion and rehabilitation. The delivery of
NGOs and INGOs work in this sphere and provide various services would be at 4 levels
types of resources, not necessarily funding to GP, but various
(a) Individual,
health related programmes and services. Some may be having
(b) Household/Community,
awareness and training programmes, providing medical support
(c) Health & Wellness Centre,
in unreached areas, etc. The district administration can facilitate
(d) Referral sites. Further for these there would be process
their match up, and GPs can also reach out.
actions and programme activities.

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Theme 2: Healthy Village