An Investigation Onfemale Community Healthvoluteers’(Fchvs’)Role and Impact in Healthsectorof The People in Southern Villages of Parbat District

Abstract

Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), through their voluntary serviceshaveserved as an important source of information for their communities, a link withgovernment health services and a source of direct services in a number of importantareas. FCHVs have contributed extensively to the health and well being of theircommunities, in particular to the women and children in rural areas of Nepal.The study was carried out in the southern VDCs of Parbat district during April 2009 toMarch 2010 with the general objective to explore the contribution of FCHVs for primaryhealth care and their understanding and roles for the prevention of infectious andcommunicable diseasesin thestudy area. A total of 63 FCHVs, some health officials and community members from sevenVDCs were taken as the respondents in the study. All of current FCHVs were literate,majority of themwerefrom privileged families (few Dalit FCHVs)andofreproductiveage(age between 21 and 45).FCHVshaveutilized theavailable health services and theadoption ofpreventive health practices among community members as voluntary healtheducators and promoters, community mobilizers, referral agents and community-basedservice providers in areas of health as perthe trainings received.Theyhave playedan important role in contributing to a variety of key public healthprograms, including family planning, maternal care, child health, vitamin Asupplementation/ de-worming and immunization; and infectious and communicablediseases at thecommunity level.About65% FCHVsof thestudy areareported that theyprovide information and education on the infectious diseases affecting their locality andrefer suspected infectious disease cases to health facilities for diagnosis.FCHVs are perceived as strong promoters of community health care services as well associal leaders of the community. The FCHV Program has undoubtedly contributedtowards women's empowerment. Being permanent residents, has been an addedadvantage to the community, especially in preventive health care services throughoutreach at the household and local group level.