India's mobile health teams set pace for progress in urban communities
Morrison, C.
Population Concern News 11: 3
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 1462-8627 PMID: 12321259 Document Number: 308423
This article provides the comments of Sir Charles Morrison, the Chairman of "Population Concerns," on the impact of mobile health units (MHUs) on population growth in poor urban areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, India. MHUs provide family planning (FP) and health services. The mobile projects in Gwalior in Uttar Pradesh and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, were established in October 1992. Each project served a population of about 40,000-50,000 persons. Each staff had 1 medical officer, 1 field coordinator, 4 field workers, 1 auxiliary nurse midwife, and 1 driver. The first contact of the MHU is with the provision of immunization. The first contact provides an opportunity to build trust with the community being served. Follow up actions include community meetings on education, maternal and child health, and FP. During 1992-95 the number of immunized children reached 80% in Gwalior, and infant mortality declined. Other advances included increased literacy and higher marriage age. In Gwalior, the marriage age rose from 15.9 to 16.5 years during 1993-95. In Bhopal, FP increased by 14%. Pill use increased by 63%. Condom use increased by 20%. The solution to overpopulation is achievable with well funded programs and a higher monetary investment in education, health services, and staffing. People cannot choose their family size without the power to do so.