Health
From Karuna Trust
Public Private Partnership in Primary Health Care
The Trust was handed over the management of Gumballi (Integrated Rural Development Project - Yelandur) PHC in 1996 in a unique and pioneering example of public-private partnership in primary health care. All national health programmes including Reproductive & child health (RCH) are important components of the activities. The success of Gumballi PHC and its impact as a 'model PHC' have strengthened the idea of PPP. Further , the following specialist care services have been integrated with primary care in the Gumballi PHC.
- Blindness control programme - preventive and surgical aspects.
- Community dental care & mobile dental unit.
- Integration of epilepsy , mental health , diabetes mellitus & hypertension.
Now, Karuna Trust runs 26 PHC's in all the districts of the state of Karnataka & 9 primary health centres in Arunachal Pradesh.
PHC Locations:
- PHCs at Karnataka
- PHCs at Arunachal Pradesh
- List of PHCs
Innovations in Primary Health Care
The PHC's run by Karuna Trust are practising models of innovative and novel approaches to deliver primary health care. These innovatives are in place in all the PHC's run by Karuna Trust.
- Strenthen community participation through village health committees with CNA and PRA.
- 24-hour PHC with all staff staying at the PHC & sub-centre headquarters.
- Gender - sensitive primary Health care.
- Integration of community mental health care in PHc's.
- Epilepsy control programme including documentation & treatment of hot water epilepsy in Yelandur Taluk. over 2000 patients registered till date.
- Mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS in primary health care.
- Essential obstetric care & new born care.
- Rational Drug use , essential drug availability & BIN card system for drug stocking in all PHC's.
- Health monitoring & information system (HMIS) with gender disaggregated data.
- Management system for PHC's.
- Comrehensive PHC waste management system.
- Community - based Rehabiliation of people with disability.
Tribal R C H Programme
- Tribal sub - centres in remote tribal hamlets.
- Tribal women trained as ANM's.
- RCH programme in tribal areas.
- Implementation of National health programmes.
- Promotion of traditional medicine through self-help groups.
Mainstreaming of Traditional medicine in primary care (in collaboration with UNDP)
India has one of the richest medicinal plant - related health cultures in the world. It has both a codified & an oral (folk) tradition. the oral culture has traditionally been rooted in indigenous communities in the country. village communities , particularly tribal groups and women , have been the most active carriers of indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants. The activities of Karuna Trust include :
- Integration of traditional medicines in 20 PHC's.
- Awareness about the use & efficacy of traditional medicine in schools , anganwadis & self - help groups.
- Establishment of herbal gardens in rural schools in the PHC areas.
- Meeting the preventive , promotive & curative care needs of the community through local health traditions (LHT).
- Preparation of an essential drug list & standard treatment Guidelines for the Indian system of medicine (ISM).
- Networking with traditional medicine associations in other countries to exchange experiences and develop joint strategies.
Promotion of quality low-cost generic drugs & rational drug use
- Stocking and distribution of low - cost , quality essential drugs to NGO's , hospitals & other organizations in collaboration with LOCOST , Baroda.
- Stocking & running Biocare Pharmacies for generic drugs in collaboration with Arogya Yojana Trust.
Community Health insurance ( in collaboration with UNDP)
A community - based model of health insurance with a low premium of Rs.22/person/year.
Key features include :
- No disease exclusion.
- Immediate settlement of claims.
- Rs.50 per day as compensation for wage loss for in - patients and Rs. 50 per day out - of - pocket expenditure.
- Rs. 500 for patients who undergo surgery in addition to Rs. 500 for drugs.
Mental Health
Mental Health services in primary care began in the Gumballi PHC in 1996 with support from NIMHANS , Bangalore.
- Gumballi PHC is today a practicing model of how mental health care & epilepsy control can be mainstreamed into primary health care. Community Mental Health Programme is in place in all our PHC's.
- Care for Homeless Mentally ILL in mysore (in collaboration with BANYAN , chennai ).
The important aspect of the community mental health care is to integrate mental health care with primary health care. The following activities are under this.
- Training of medical officers of PHCs at NIMHANS.
- Providing access to basic mental health care in 20 PHCs.
- Capacity building of the health workers in mental health care - identification, treatment and follow-up, rehabilitation and counselling.
- Making these PHCs as centres for rehabilitation and follow up of all the homeless mentally ill people treated at Transit Care Centre at Mysore.
- To make available access to social pension schemes and other benefits for all the mentally ill in the district through PHCs - Disability certificates, pensions etc.
Care for Homeless Mentally Ill
The expanse of homeless mentally ill population is the product of social neglect and the lack of support from Government agencies. This particular initiative strives to establish a comprehensive model for care, support and rehabilitation for the homeless mentally ill population of Mysore. The initiative will also work towards raising public awareness and changing overall attitude towards homeless mentally ill individuals.
The following activities are carried out for homeless mentally ill persons through the project.
Transit Care Centre
The Transit Care facility is located at Chikkalli village of Mysore district. At this stage the transit care facility will be a short time home for homeless mentally ill women. Later the facility will be expanded to men also. Presently the home has the capacity of admitting 24 inmates.
The centreprovides the following services:
- Medical and Psychiatric services.
- Occupational Therapy.
- Psychological services.
- Vocational training and employment program.
- Follow up programs.
- Legal aid
- Facilitates for reunion with their families in all possible cases.
Mental Health Care in the Destitute Home in Mysore
The Destitute Home at Mysore run by the Social Welfare Department is located at Jyothi Nagar. There is a high prevalence of mental illness among these homeless people. In coordination with the Social Welfare Department the following activities will be conducted at the Destitute Home of Mysore.
- The Psychiatrist from Transit Care Centre will hold a clinic at Destitute home once in a week for the treatment of mentally ill.
- There will be a full time social worker appointed at the Destitute home.
- Staff at the Destitute Home will be sensitised regarding mental illness.
- Facilitate reunion with family members for all possible cases.
- Utilization of existing infrastructure for occupation and vocational rehabilitation.
- Establish coordination for referral.
Mental Health Helpline
The helpline will be established with the aim of rescuing wandering persons with mental illness. To avoid duplication of services, networking with the personnel managing police helpline, and the helpline for aged citizens will be done. People calling the helplines will be directed appropriately by a trained person appointed by the Trust.
Telemedicine Services ( in collaboration with ISRO)
Telemedicine services at Karuna Trust PHC's in association with Narayana Hrudayalaya , bangalore and Amrita Institute , Kochi.
Research
Click here for further details on research at Karuna Trust