The community health volunteers are women selected from the area and trained to impart health education and basic health care. They also work as an active link between the health centre and the population. They ensure that the services of the centre and the behavior of health staff remains in line with the expectation of beneficiaries.

At present 17 CHVs are attached to the program. Six monthly update-training programmes are run at the community health centre. The community centre also provides refresher CHVs training for other NGOs. The CHVs are voluntary workers helping for three hours a day.

The role of the CHV’s:

• Assist the ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes)
• Strengthen links between community and the community health centre
• Increase community participation
• Create health awareness in the area
• Provide quick help to the sick in the community
• Bring patients to dispensary and referred cases to hospital
• Help ANMs to arrange ANC meetings and health talks
• In summer months set up ORS depots in local houses
• Help in OPD (Out Patients Clinic)

The training of CHVs

Married women of same area with skills in reading and writing in Hindi are called for training. In each CHV training about 20 women are trained. A 3 to 5 days training programme is conducted. A Pre and Post-test is undertaken and the CHVs are chosen with the best test results.

 CHV's Training Programme