Community monitoring under national rural health mission: an impact analysis

Abstract

The research programme was undertaken to study the impact of Community Monitoring for improving the health services under National Rural Health Mission(NRHM) launched in April 2005 to provide effective healthcare to rural population throughout the country. The community monitoring was implemented on a pilot in the country in 9 states, 36 districts, hundred eight blocks, 324 PHCs and 1620 villages before an eventual role out on a national scale. The objective of the study is to analyse if the programme objectives of community monitoring set out in NRHM framework document were achieved in the pilot at the village level. The study was anon experimental descriptive design with both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study area included districts of Pune and Thane in Maharashtra; blocks Khedand Junnar in Pune; Murbad and Shahpur in Thane. The structured questionnaires were used for household and semi structured questionnaire for interview and discussions with ANM and Village Health and Sanitation Committee. The study revealed that the community monitoring process has generated awareness among the community on NRHM entitlements, maternal health services etc. However, the objectives of community needs assessment, validation of data through triangulation etc are yet to be achieved.