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Urban Health Project

The urban health and development programme aims to improve the health status in urban slums through the establishment of a decentralised health delivery system and development of strong local structures. The project is operational in 27 slums of the Mundhwa-Ghorpadi area, serving a population of 30,000.

The three broad objectives of the Project are as follows:
1. To establish a model reproductive and child health programme through a
community needs assessment approach (CNA) in a slum setting in Pune city for a population of 27,000.
2. To improve the health status of women and children through the provision of quality reproductive and child health services with emphasis on marginalised populations and those at greatest risk.
3. To influence urban health policy.

"Arogya Vikas Samitis" (Health and Development Committees) have been established in all the project slums. An equal sharing of responsibilities is the working principle for these committees. This implies equal emphasis on IHMP priorities as well as needs and issues identified by the community. The community contributing some financial inputs promotes partnership and ownership. The implementation of the project has introduced various systems of assessing community needs, participatory planning, monitoring and accountability of health workers to the community they serve.

Adolescent Life Skills

The social and health status of adolescent girls is poor in India. Many are married early, have a high proportion of iron deficiency anemia and attain motherhood prior to adulthood. Adolescent girls share a large burden of household work with their mothers. In addition, the non-school going girls spend 8-10 hours working outside the home as agricultural labourers, construction labourers domestic workers etc.

IHMP has started a life skills programme for the adolescents. The programme equips them with skills for a better quality life. The focus is on school drop outs and working girls. The curriculum of the programme is based on the requirement and needs of the adolescents. It aims to promote improvement in the social status of the adolescent girls through the development of skills related to gender, legal literacy and team building. It works towards the improvement in the health status of adolescent girls through the provision of cognitive and practical skills in health and nutrition. The programme also aims to promote self-development, increase self-confidence and self-esteem through involvement in community projects and various arts and craft.

HIVAIDS (Sankalp) - An Action Programme for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS

Sankalp is a campaign on AIDS launched by the IHMP in 27 slums of Mundhwa-Ghorpadi region. The programme was inaugurated on 1st December 1999 with the objective to promote behaviours which will reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. It also aims to provide social and health support to STI and HIV infected individuals and their families. Sankalp Kendras, community based counselling centres on sexuality, STDs and HIV/AIDS have been established in three parts of the project area. It works on three levels i.e. individual, group and community. The main objective of the counselling centre is to clarify the doubts pertaining to sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and sexuality and to provide support to the HIV infected individuals and their families. Hot line counselling is accessible for the beneficiaries not wanting to disclose their identity.

Sankalp has formed youth federation for AIDS prevention, mobilizing people for various activities, and campaigns against the spread of AIDS. Based on the focus group discussions with the youth a curriculum is being developed on sexuality education covering STI, HIV/AIDS and other issues with the goal of preparing them for responsible adulthood. Around 300 school children from Ghorpadi village school and Lonkar Vidyalaya Mundhwa, participated in the rally organized by IHMP on AIDS and support to HIV infected patients to mark the 'World AIDS day', 2000.

MSACS Presentation

IHMP in News

Health Communication Resource Centre

IHMP's Pune Centre produces audio-visual (AV) and training materials for the NGO and government sectors. The materials include posters, flashcards, manuals, audio-cassettes etc. IHMP's AV materials are pretested in its field programmes, ensuring grassroots relevance. Its training materials are produced for community based application and use. The unit undertakes orders for the development of audio-visual materials in Hindi, Marathi and English. It develops materials in reproductive and child health, water, sanitation, adolescent health and nutrition etc. Training materials are prepared for use by grassroots trainers. A monthly newsletter "Bal Shakti" for children is also produced. The materials recently produced by IHMP include - Life Skills manuals for adolescent girls, a manual on reproductive and sexual health, flash cards and cook book on anemia prevention etc.

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