CHWs delivering healthcare in the Thar Desert, India

Fragile yet fierce, the Thar Desert spreads across the Western half of the state of Rajasthan in India. Distinguished by erratic rainfall and dry climate, it is undoubtedly one of the most backward regions of country. The region is extremely drought-prone causing great losses to livelihood. Community healthcare has always been an issue of major concern. Feudal society, poor socio-economic status and prevalence of social evils have been predominant features of the rural communities in Rajasthan. Amidst numerous problems regarding the living conditions that the rural communities face in the Thar Desert, not surprisingly, health care does not draw serious attention.

GRAVIS, an NGO based in Thar Desert, has been involved in organizing community-based health interventions in the region since 1983. GRAVIS runs a fully-equipped rural hospital and vital part of its healthcare delivery team is the network of over 500 CHWs. Identified by the community and trained by GRAVIS, the CHWs work in their respective villages to provide curative services for minor ailments, maternity services, health education and counseling and referral services. The CHWs also collaborate in the healthcare services provided by the government including immunization, family planning and TB control program. The CHWs are provided incentives by community for there services and are well-respected. Over last two decades, the GRAVIS network of CHWs has done commendable work in delivering healthcare in over 800 villages of the Thar Desert. In future, emphasis will be put on refining the work methodologies of CHWs and to link them with healthcare institutions.