RURAL HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE “ADOPT A VILLAGE”

Goals:

The Andhra Pradesh rural health care initiative works to improve health status, prevent and manage non-communicable diseases, prevent premature death, enhance access to health services for the rural population

To evaluate the health status, risk factors and prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other chronic diseases in the rural population.

We aim to achieve this through the design, implementation and evaluation of affordable and sustainable interventions that can be incorporated in the existing primary health care infrastructure of rural areas.

“ADOPT A VILLAGE”

The rapid developments in the fields of science and technology, liberalization of trade, and economy and also a vision to gift a peaceful and prosperous global village to our future generations has necessitated an exchange of knowledge, infrastructure and culture across the world. To relish the above, several young and talented Andhra Pradesh physicians have left to foreign lands, leaving behind their mother country and loved ones, to excel in their professional careers. Many of them are acclaimed globally for their expertise and achievements in different fields, making their country proud.

But their pursuit has not ended there. Many of us from rural areas of Andhra Pradesh found a lack of access to the quality medical care that is accessible in other areas. They would like to ADOPT A VILLAGE of their choice, and implement the rural health initiative through PEACE.

The main objective is to develop health care without boundaries. We are looking forward to working with the Andhra Pradesh Government by adopting a village of our choice to move Andhra Pradesh into the 21st century in health care, research, education, delivery of patient care and other services.

PEACE

PREVENTION

• The majority of health problems in rural areas are preventable. Primary and secondary prevention is the key to health care.
• Provide access to safe, clean, portable drinking water.
• Early detection of hearing defects in children.
• Prevention of blindness, eye checkups of school children, eyeglasses, and cataract operations.
• Identify diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
• Early cancer detection: cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.
• Participate in establishing an Institute of Public Health in Andhra Pradesh.

EDUCATION

• Medical education to patients and health personnel about various aspects of chronic diseases.
• Patient education on prevention, diet, exercises, etc.
• Educating by evidence based methods and primary care guidelines.
• Establishing continued medical centers and electronic libraries in medical schools.
• Establishing a visiting faculty program.
• Participating in curriculum development, community medicine, problem-oriented medical education, medical informatics, etc

ACCESS OF CARE:
Rural areas are suffering from a lack of access to affordable, timely, quality health care. We must provide access to the needed care, irrespective of economic status.

COMPREHENSIVE CARE:

• Child and maternal health: To reduce infant and maternal mortality.
• Cancer screenings: Cervical, breast, ovarian and uterine cancer in females, prostate in males.
• Detection, treatment, and follow-up of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and respiratory diseases.
• Emergency care and referral.
• HIV: Detection, education and treatment.
• Geriatric care: Alzheimer’s disease and other geriatric problems.

EVALUATION:
Health and nutritional survey: “Evaluation of Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases among Indian Rural Population.” The purpose of this evaluation is to get information on the health status, behavior, and risk for chronic disease (especially diabetes and CAD) among Indian males and females in the rural villages.

• Diabetes: A threefold raise in the prevalence of diabetes in rural southern India from 4.4% to 13.4%.
• Indians develop diabetes at a younger age (at least 10-15 years earlier) than the white population.
• 50% of diabetic cases have their onset less than 50 years.
• The risk of diabetes starts to increase at very low level of B.M.I.
• One out of ten Indians suffer from heart disease. Heart attacks strike many Indians at a relatively young age (40-60 years). Many Indians suffer heart attacks when they are only 25-35 years, with equally high rates among women.