Swasthya Mitra

In India, the lack of basic awareness amongst the general population about the implications of various diseases leads to many premature deaths that are otherwise avoidable. GNRC through its Affordable Health Mission (AHM) has formulated a unique and ambitious initiative called “Swasthya Mitra”, - a brainchild of Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah that aims to provide local support to the communities for preventive and promotive and curative healthcare.

GNRC Swasthya Mitra is a pool of community health workers who constantly work for preventive, promotive, and curative care for Assam’s rural and semi-urban impoverished population. Most of these Swasthya Mitras are womenfolk, selected from their communities, who relentlessly support the indigent population in Assam to obtain access to quality and affordable healthcare.

SwasthyaMitras (Friends of Health) impart health education to their community members and mentor them to apply preventive health measures in their personal, family as well as community lives. These professionally trained SwasthyaMitras who now number over 5000 across Assam and West Bengal have been able to influence the lives of more than 10 million people. Swasthya Mitras visit the rural households at least once in three months and mentor them in implementing various preventive health care measures like 6steps of proper hand washing, how to purify water before drinking, food hygiene, dietary habits, the menace of alcohol, tobacco, etc. They also work for improving the health-seeking behaviour pattern of the people.

Also, the importance of taking precautionary care in case of lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. is shared during these visits. Through the Swasthya Mitra project, GNRC is on a revolutionary mission to help and support the needy population at the earliest possible time (especially the people living below the poverty line) rather than waiting for an emergency to strike them. These SwasthyaMitras have proved to be the true knight for the healthcare needs of mankind. In addition, Affordable Health Mission provides certain unique facilities and initiatives for the most vulnerable people of Assam that can be availed with the assistance of SwasthyaMitras.

To endorse the relentless efforts of making quality healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone in society, USAID-supported SAMRIDH Health initiative has enabled the Affordable Health Mission of GNRC to achieve new heights in providing high-quality, affordable and comprehensive healthcare to the subsistence-level people of Assam.

The GNRC Swasthya Mitra Program, in collaboration with SAMRIDH, is ensuring beneficiaries have access to at least 35-40% of hospital beds when needed; spreading awareness amongst the rural population on the importance of using face masks, maintaining social distancing, practicing hand hygiene, understanding the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination; and educating communities on COVID-19 appropriate behaviors. GNRC Swasthya Mitras are also trained to identify any patients with COVID-19 symptoms and collaborate with the local Public Health Authority to facilitate testing, tracking, isolation, and treatment of patients.