Introduction:

People in remote and tribal villages suffer from common, easily treatable and preventable diseases like malaria and diarrhea, whereas quality medical facilities are available in metropolitan cities.

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India has accepted the challenge of bridging this gap and started Arogya Yojana i.e. Health Care Education.

In the Health Care Education the emphasis is on Hygiene, Sanitation, First Aid, Maternal & Child Care, treatment of common diseases (like Diarrhea or Malaria) and help in guiding to nearby PHC/hospital/speciality hospital as per need.
 
Need of Arogya Yojana:

In India *the existing health system suffers from inequitable distribution of institutions and man power. Even though the country produces every year over 17,000 doctors in modern system of medicine and similar number of ISM&H practitioners and para - professionals, there are huge gaps in critical man power in institutions providing primary healthcare, especially in the remote rural and tribal areas where healthcare needs are the greatest.

*Source Tenth five Year Plan (2002-2007) Vol – II Planning Commission Government of India

Focus of Arogya Yojana:

1. Health education
2. Preventive measures
3. Focus on mother-child care
4. Curative treatment of general diseases
5. Referral services for serious cases

Area of operation:

1. Remote villages
2. Tribals
3. Weaker section of society

Work Force:

1. Central Training Team – Comprising of Experts Council & full time volunteer zonal in- charge,
(Preferably all medical professionals)

2. Zonal Training Team –A Zonal in-charge and State In charge –(preferably a graduate with medical
Background) will constitute a Zonal Training Team.

3. Training Team at area (Anchal) level

Full timers – Training in charge - 1 (preferably graduate)
                           Assistants - 2 (undergraduate)
                           --------------
                                  Total -3

Syllabus:

Hygiene, Sanitation, Nutrition, Malaria, Diarrhea, ORS, Antenatal Care, Immunization, First Aid, Tuberculosis, STD/ AIDS, IPC (Inter Personal Communication) & Acupressure Duties.

National Arogya Training Center, Maksi, Ujjain (M. P.) & RATC.

The National Arogya Training Center is at Murlidhar Kripa Hospital Maksi. The Nisnatya Varg (Central Team Training programme) and the intensive three months training of Block Supervisors is conducted at this place. The Regional Arogya Training center (RATC) is at Ashwini Hospital Medikeri, Karnataka. This serves as the training center for workers of Arogya Yojana belonging to South India.

Survey

In the first three months of work the Acharya conducts door to door survey of the village in which he/She collects the data regarding the health status of all of the family members alonghwith other information. This information is forwarded to the Area Incharge who compiles and sends this to the Central Team. The Data is studied and analyzed by the central team and forms the basis of future planning and training.

Daily Work

She deals with common health problems present in her village using the First Aid Box given to her that contains medicine for fever (tablets of paracitamol), malaria (tablets of chloroquine), ORS sachets for diarrhea and dressing material like savlon, povidone iodine, cotton and bandages for injuries and wounds.

She shares the knowledge obtained in the training with one family everyday and also with the students of Ekal Vidyalaya in her village with the help of pictorial charts.

She also conducts Prabhat Pharies and cleanliness drive in the village.

Chikitsa Sewa Kendra

To provide health care facility to volunteers of Ekal Vidyalaya movement Chikitsa Sewa Kendra (Center) have been established in each zone i.e. at Delhi, Ranchi, Surat, Raipur and Guwahati Serious illnesses of volunteers are treated by the team of doctors who provide treatment at big hospitals at no cost.