Historically, the private sector was chiefly measured to be superior to the public sector in India’s healthcare services. Therefore, previously, the role of NGOs in health services in India was only limited to a third stakeholder and that of an advocate. Any NGOs advocacy of healthcare mainly happened through camps and other awareness initiatives. However, considering the meager performance of healthcare services throughout India, there is a cohesive understanding that each stakeholder’s role, including the NGOs, need to evolve.
Through the development management lens, the efforts of the healthcare system have purely concentrated on the cure instead of prevention. To reach a level of sustainability, it is necessary that prevention is given equal focus, so as to reduce the ‘disease burden’ on the common man. Under ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’, millions of toilets have been built in many regions of the country. NGOs have played a key role by focusing on generating awareness and shifting mindsets towards using toilets through steady arrangements with local communities and schools.
We must develop effective and efficient models of healthcare service delivery, and NGOs with their willingness to learn and adapt to new challenges can surely take the lead in this direction. NGOs also play a crucial role in supporting the public health system at the grass-root level by enhancing the management of Primary Health Centres and other related agencies. Various NGOs provide rural health, medical services and also manage the public health institutions with an objective to provide effective and efficient delivery of preventive plus curative services.
One of India’s top NGO, Save the Children, has been on the frontlines changing the way the nation views child healthcare. In 2008, Save the Children launched various health and nutrition projects to intervene in the existing large-scale delivery systems (NRHM, ICDS). The project continues to play a catalytic role within India’s health sector, providing insight and direction into the government health system and the community-based leaders. They deliver health and nutrition services in the country. Save the Children, in many of its on-going endeavours, has impacted the lives of many by working closely with government bodies and agencies in the field of healthcare and general welfare. Their programmes and activities currently run across 19 states in India.
If you wish to participate and elevate the role of NGOs in health services in India, support Save the Children in its countless endeavours to reform the system.
Volunteer for NGOs and help them bring about a change!
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