Program Detail | Lakshya Foundation

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Program Overview

Aarogya Sakhi is a comprehensive women's health initiative designed to address the critical healthcare gaps faced by women in rural and semi-urban areas of Maharashtra. The program combines mobile healthcare clinics with community-based health education to create a sustainable model for women's healthcare access.

Through a network of trained female community health workers (Sakhis), the program provides preventive care, basic treatment, health screenings, and referrals to government healthcare facilities. The initiative focuses on reproductive health, maternal care, nutrition, and non-communicable diseases prevalent among women in the target communities.

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Sector Alignment

Healthcare & Public Health

Primary Sector: Healthcare & Public Health

Secondary Alignment: Women Empowerment, Rural Development

The program directly addresses the healthcare needs of women, contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). By focusing on women's health, we empower them to participate more fully in social and economic life, creating a ripple effect that benefits entire communities.

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Problem Statement

Healthcare Disparity for Rural Women

Women in rural Maharashtra face significant barriers to healthcare access, including:

Limited access to healthcare facilities within 10km radius in 65% of villages
Social and cultural restrictions on women traveling alone to seek healthcare
Lack of awareness about preventive healthcare and nutrition
High maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 46 per 100,000 live births in target districts
Prevalence of anemia among 55% of women in reproductive age group
Low screening rates for breast and cervical cancer (less than 10%)

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Program Objectives

Provide accessible healthcare services to 10,000+ women across 50 villages in Maharashtra
Reduce maternal mortality rate by 30% in target communities within 3 years
Increase awareness of preventive healthcare among 80% of women in target areas
Screen 5,000 women for anemia, breast cancer, and cervical cancer annually
Train 100 local women as community health workers (Aarogya Sakhis)
Establish referral linkages with 10 government healthcare facilities
Reduce prevalence of anemia among target women by 25% through nutrition counseling

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Target Beneficiaries

Women (15-49 years)

Women in reproductive age group from economically disadvantaged backgrounds

Pregnant Women

Expecting mothers requiring antenatal care and safe delivery support

Adolescent Girls

Girls aged 10-19 needing nutrition and reproductive health education

Community Health Workers

Local women trained to provide basic healthcare and health education

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Geographic Coverage

The Aarogya Sakhi program is implemented across three districts in Maharashtra:

Pune District: 20 villages in Purandar and Bhor talukas
Ahmednagar District: 18 villages in Parner and Sangamner talukas
Satara District: 12 villages in Patan and Jaoli talukas

Coverage: 50 villages | 3 districts | Population Reach: 50,000+

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Key Activities & Interventions

Healthcare Services

Mobile clinic visits twice monthly to each village
Basic health check-ups and consultations
Antenatal and postnatal care for pregnant women
Anemia screening and iron-folic acid distribution
Breast and cervical cancer screening camps
Family planning counseling and services

Community Engagement

Monthly health awareness workshops
Nutrition counseling and cooking demonstrations
Training of community health workers (Sakhis)
Formation and support of women's health groups
Referral support to government healthcare facilities
Health record maintenance for beneficiaries

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Implementation Strategy

The program follows a community-led implementation model:

Community Mobilization

Engaging with local leaders, women's self-help groups, and community organizations to build trust and ensure program acceptance. Each village forms a Health Committee comprising local women to guide program implementation.

Capacity Building

Selecting and training local women as Aarogya Sakhis (community health workers). They receive 3-month training in basic healthcare, health education, data collection, and referral procedures.

Service Delivery

Two mobile healthcare vans equipped with basic diagnostic equipment and medicines visit each village twice a month. Each van is staffed with a doctor, nurse, and community health worker.

Monitoring & Support

Regular monitoring through digital health records, monthly review meetings, and community feedback sessions. Technical support provided by partner hospitals and healthcare institutions.

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Program Duration & Status

Timeline

Program Start: January 2021
Current Phase: Phase 3 (Scale-up)
Planned End: December 2025
Status: Active

Progress Summary

Phase 1 (2021): 15 villages, 2,500 beneficiaries
Phase 2 (2022-2023): 30 villages, 6,000 beneficiaries
Phase 3 (2024-2025): 50 villages, 10,000+ beneficiaries
Next Review: Quarterly review in March 2024

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Impact Metrics & KPIs

Health Outcomes

8,500+ women provided with healthcare services
32% reduction in maternal complications in target villages
45% increase in institutional deliveries
2,800 women screened for breast and cervical cancer
18% reduction in anemia prevalence among beneficiaries

Program Reach

85 community health workers trained and deployed
50 villages covered across 3 districts
98% beneficiary satisfaction rate
12 government healthcare facilities integrated into referral network
45 women's health groups formed and active

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Monitoring & Evaluation

The program follows a rigorous M&E framework to track progress and outcomes:

Data Collection

Digital health records for all beneficiaries
Monthly service utilization reports
Quarterly health outcome surveys
Beneficiary feedback through community meetings
Case studies and success stories documentation

Evaluation Framework

Baseline, midline, and endline surveys
Internal quarterly reviews
External evaluation by healthcare partners annually
Cost-effectiveness analysis
Outcome harvesting for qualitative impact

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Sustainability & Exit Strategy

Community Ownership

Building capacity of local women as health leaders who will continue to provide basic services and health education. Establishing women's health groups that will sustain health awareness activities beyond program duration.

Government Integration

Aligning program activities with government health programs (NHM, JSY, JSSK) and building referral linkages. Training community health workers to become ASHA or Anganwadi workers in the government system.

Financial Sustainability

Exploring sustainable funding through government health schemes, CSR partnerships, and nominal user fees for non-essential services. Establishing a revolving fund for basic medicines managed by community health committees.

Exit Plan

Gradual reduction of direct services over 12-month transition period. Handover of mobile clinics to district health departments. Continued technical support and monitoring for 2 years post-exit.

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Alignment with SDGs & CSR Schedule VII

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Good Health & Well-being

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Gender Equality

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Reduced Inequalities

CSR Schedule VII Compliance

This program aligns with the following activities under Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013:

Promoting healthcare including preventive healthcare (Item i)
Eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition (Item ii)
Promoting gender equality, empowering women (Item iv)
Contributing to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (Item ix)

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Partnerships & Stakeholders

Implementation Partners

Government: District Health Departments, NHM Maharashtra
Healthcare: Ruby Hall Clinic, Jehangir Hospital
Community: Village Health Committees, Women's SHGs

Funding Partners

CSR Partners: Tata Trusts, Reliance Foundation
International: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Government Schemes: NHM, State Health Mission

Key Stakeholders

Beneficiary women and their families
Community leaders and local government representatives
Healthcare professionals and institutions
Government health department officials
Corporate CSR teams and donors

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Budget Snapshot (2024-2025)

Note: Figures are indicative and represent approximate ranges for planning purposes.

Budget Component	Amount (INR)	Percentage
Personnel (Doctors, Nurses, Staff)	₹42,00,000	35%
Mobile Clinic Operations & Maintenance	₹24,00,000	20%
Medicines & Medical Supplies	₹18,00,000	15%
Community Health Worker Training	₹12,00,000	10%
Health Awareness & Community Mobilization	₹9,60,000	8%
Monitoring, Evaluation & Administration	₹7,20,000	6%
Contingency Fund	₹6,00,000	5%
Total Budget (2 Years)	₹1,20,00,000	100%

Budget per beneficiary: Approximately ₹1,200 per year | Cost per health service: ₹150 per consultation

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Risks & Mitigation Measures

Community Resistance

Risk: Cultural barriers may prevent women from accessing healthcare services

Mitigation: Engage community leaders early, involve men in awareness sessions, demonstrate benefits through early adopters

Staff Retention

Risk: Difficulty retaining healthcare professionals in rural areas

Mitigation: Competitive compensation, career development opportunities, community recognition programs

Funding Uncertainty

Risk: Dependence on donor funding for program sustainability

Mitigation: Diversify funding sources, develop income-generating components, build government partnerships

Infrastructure Challenges

Risk: Poor road connectivity affecting mobile clinic access

Mitigation: Strategic placement of service points, use of suitable vehicles, contingency planning for monsoon season

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Success Stories & Case Highlights

Sunita's Journey from Patient to Health Leader

Pune District, Maharashtra

Sunita, a 28-year-old mother of two from a remote village in Pune district, was diagnosed with severe anemia during a Aarogya Sakhi mobile clinic visit. Through the program's intervention, she received proper treatment and nutritional counseling.

Not only did Sunita recover fully, but she also enrolled in the community health worker training program. Today, she serves as an Aarogya Sakhi in her village, providing basic healthcare to 50+ women monthly and conducting health awareness sessions.

"The program saved my life and gave me a purpose. Now I help other women in my village stay healthy," says Sunita, who has been recognized as a community health champion by the district health department.

Village Health Transformation

Parner Taluka, Ahmednagar

In Parner taluka, the program has led to measurable health improvements:

Institutional deliveries increased from 45% to 82% in 2 years
Anemia prevalence reduced from 58% to 42% among women aged 15-49
100% of pregnant women now receive antenatal check-ups (up from 35%)
Formation of 8 active women's health groups that meet monthly

The village has been declared "Anemia-free" by the district health department, serving as a model for neighboring communities.

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Media Gallery

Images

Videos

Documents

Program documentary showing mobile clinic operations and beneficiary testimonials

Aarogya Sakhi - Women's Health Initiative