A village health worker's project in the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

DURING an elective period in India a village health worker's project was studied.

The health education of the inhabitants of 32 villages is the main function of the project, which concentrates on the prevention of malnutrition in the under-fives and their immunisation. The villages are linked to the community health centre of the hospital by a weekly village clinic held by nurses, and by the village health worker who attends training sessions at the hospital. She uses the gathering collected around the clinic as an opportunity to give health education talks. She continues the work of the clinic by treating minor illnesses and educating the villag ers in between clinics. Her duties are reported at the training session.

The villagers' acceptance of the clinic services and receptivity to the messages of the village health worker increases with the length of time the project has been established in their village.

The employment of nurses and health workers in primary care is a pragmatic approach to India's massive health problems.