Improving access to quality NCD care in Bengaluru

Urban Health Action Research Project (UHARP) team has been working in KG Halli since 2009 with the aim to improve access to quality health care for the residents of KG Halli by working with the community, public and private health providers and the higher authority. The team started working in the area by conducting a census in ward no 30, KG Halli, to understand the socio-demographic and economic status of the community as well as the illness profile, health seeking behaviour of patients in the area. After completing the survey of 9,299 house holds, four women were trained to work in the area as community health assistants. Also team coordinated few rounds of meeting with providers in the area to explore options of collaboration for referral and improve quality of care and reduce cost of care.

Since 2013, considering the learning’s till then, the UHARP currently focuses on non communicable diseases (NCD) with the aim of improving access to quality diabetes and Hypertension care for the residents of ward 30, KG Halli, Bengaluru. Major activities are creating awareness in the community about management of illness, strengthening public health centre, introducing patient retained medical record and coordinating to make low cost quality medicines available in the area to reduce cost of care and improve adherence to medications.

The study is of six years duration. It commenced in 2009 and will continue until 2016.

Aim:

To improve access to quality non communicable disease care for the residents of ward 30, Kadugondanahalli (KG Halli), Bengaluru.

Objectives :

To improve affordability and adherence to common chronic conditions by facilitating provision of low cost and rational facility based primary care service
To promote chronic disease management through promotive, preventive and curative care
To strengthen the community health centre services availability by provision of training and motivational visits
To promote use of patient retained health card and strengthen referral system

Action Research conducted in Kadugondanahalli, Bengaluru.

Baseline census of ward number 30, KG Halli was conducted between 2009-2010, using structured questionnaire to capture socio demographic details, illness profile, health seeking behaviour and cost of care. Following that midline survey was conducted using the same structured questionnaire in 2013 to compare the difference over three period and end line survey will be conducted in 2016 to assess the impact of intervention and compare the data over six years.

Data about awareness about diabetes and hypertension, generic medicine and other information will be collected using structured questionnaire with few open ended questions by community health assistants during home visits. The retained medical record booklet has been given to the individuals reported to behaving diabetes or hypertension or both as part of the project activity. A qualitative study will be conducted to understand the effectiveness of this initiative.

Duration of project

2009 – 2016

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Study Team

Dr Thriveni BS

Team Lead

Leelavathi

Community Health Assistant

Dr Mrunalini G

Project coordinator

Tabassum

Community Health Assistant

Nagarathna

Community Health Assistant

Gallery

KG Halli

Urban-health-center-in-K.G.Halli

Training-of-community-health-assistants

Patients-at-the-community-health-center

Patient-records-distributed-at-the-primary-care-clinic

Library-facilities-utilised-by-the-children-of-K.G.Halli

Health-care-providers-interacting-with-the-community

Group-awareness-session-on-diabtes-and-hypertension

Government-Community-health-center-in-K.G.Halli

Dispensing-of-generic-medicines-at-the-primary-care-clinic

Computer-training-classes-for-school-drop-out

Community-health-assistants-conducting-school-health-program

Community-Awareness-session

Children-at-the-community-center

Awareness-session-at-the-primary-care-clinic

Video Documentation

Study outputs

Blog

Training for Medical Officer’s – National Program for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cardio Vascular Diseases and Stroke

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“Not everyone can afford to fight chronic diseases” – article published in “The Hindu”

IPH, Urban Health Team is working since last six years to improve quality of care for the residents of KG Halli, ward number 30. We have conducted baseline census in 2009 and follow up survey in 2013. The findings from this study and the challenges faced by the poor...

How can researchers meet community needs?

This article originally appeared on BMJ Blogs on April 24, 2015 under the same title. This blog is my reflection on regular field visits as part of the urban health action research project that I am currently working on. The field site for the project is a very poor...

My Monday musings of being a “Generic”!

Author: Dr Mrunalini I am pretty well known in the country and constantly have a presence in news making headlines against the multibillion Pharmaceutical industries. I still struggle on a daily basis convincing people that I’m as good as the BIG BRANDS, and to...

Publications

Lifestyle diseases on the rise among urban poor: Study by Mrunalini Gowda

Chronic conditions are on rise globally and in India . Prevailing intra urban inequities in access to healthcare services compounds the problems faced by urban poor

This research paper reports trends in prevalence of chronic conditions and health seeking pattern among the urban poor neighbourhood in South India.

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