Right to Primary Health Care Campaign: JMS maintained a close relationship with the Primary Health Centres and Sub-centres in the area of work. JMS had initiated a year long campaign on increasing Dalit women’s accessibility to PHCs in the year 2003 and revitalizing PHCs was part of it. The campaign was called ‘Nodi Nimma Arogya Kendra’ (Come, See your Health Centre). From the year 2005 as the community health work of JMS got intensified JMS came in close touch with Janaarogya andolana (JAAK) which campaigned statewide for the right to primary health care in the Karnataka state.

The important processes in which sanchalakis and women of JMS participated were: o February 1, 2007: Right to Health demand day at where the women submitted memorandum to the District Health Officer asking for the Primary Health Care services in the PHCs. A study was made of 27 PHCs in Raichur. o JMS participated in the third Karnataka state health assembly on 20th March, 2007 at Urban Health Centre at Malleshwaram. Fifteen people participated in the 2nd National Health Assembly at Bhopal from March 21-24, 2007 at Bhopal. o Planning and participation in the district committee of JAAK on 28th September 2007 followed by survey of PHCs and the recording of denial of health care in 5 PHCs – Byagwata, Hirekotnekal, Thoranadinni ( taluka, Raichur dist) and Balaganur, PHCs ( taluka) o Right to Primary Health Care Demand Day: On 29th October, 2007. about 50 women of JMS participated in the district rally of 200 people demanding the right to health care. The issues highlighted were • The gaps in proper functioning of the PHCs • The situation and non-functioning of sub-centres was highlighted • Meeting with the district health officer • Meeting with the CEO of the zilla panchayat • Press conference was held to highlight the issue of corruption, inadequacy of staff, non- attendance of health care providers, discrimination etc. o Participation in the state level meeting of JAAK on 12 and 13th November, 2007 and meeting with the Director of State Health Services, Karnataka. The issues found in the surveys of PHCs and sub-centres were submitted to the director.

Community Monitoring and Planning under NRHM - Village Health and Sanitation Committee (VHSC) training: JMS was one of the three organizations which took active part in the Community Monitoring and Planning (CMP) programme in . Community Health Cell was the nodal organization for Raichur district and the programme was implemented through the PHM partners in Raichur viz. Roovari, Samuha and JMS. This was a pilot programme in community monitoring undertaken in 9 states under NRHM. In Raichur district, 4 PHCs were selected in each of the three blocks (total 12 PHCs) and the training of the Village Health and Sanitation Committees (VHSCs) was done in each of the villages of these PHCs. A total of 135 villages coming under 12 PHCs were covered in Raichur. JMS was instrumental in training VHSCs in 50 villages. The PHCs chosen were Pothnal, Thoranadinni, Byagwat and Hirekotnekal. A few of the important processes are as follows: 1.Trainings: • Santhalakis and Karyakarthas participated in Training of Trainers in Community Monitoring under NRHM held in Raichur (July 15-19, 2008) • July 22-Aug 4, 2008: Sanchalakis and Karyakarthas held intensive training sessions in 5 villages of 3 PHCs on NRHM and health rights 2. Workshops: • Manvi Taluka level health workshop was held for VHSC members (Oct 2008) • A district workshop was held for the key members of the health systems – THO, DHO, DPMO, PHC medical officers, nurses and VHSC members

3. Visits to offices and communities: Visited the CDPO (Child Development officer), Taluka Health Officer to obtain information on NRHM and health issues in Manvi taluka. • Sanchalakis met pregnant women, nursing mothers to tell them about the Janani Suraksha Yojane (JSY) scheme, bhagyalaxmi scheme, madilu scheme.

• Visits to various PDS shops, gram panchayats to find out about the availability of food grains. 4. Kalajatha and mobilization of communities: Team of artists was trained in performing street plays, songs and the team spent a day each in each of the villages in mobilizing communities and performing street plays.

5. Village Health Score Card: • As a follow up to the VHSC training in each of the villages, the VHSC members were instrumental in maintaining a village health score card on key indicators such as ANC, PNCs, visits of ANMs, etc.

6. Village Health Plan: by using Participatory methods people were made to understand various factors affecting their health in the villages. A village health plan was subsequently drafted along with the people. The people made plans for the usage of the untied fund which was given to the VHSCs.

7. Jan Samvads (public health dialogues): • Preparation for the public hearings in 3 PHCs (Toranadinni, Byagwat and Potnal) • Toranadinni PHC jan samwad: 400 people from villages participated • Byagwat PHC jan samwad : 250 people from villages • Potnal PHC jan samwad: 250 people participated • People spoke about their positive experiences and grievances; people questioned the authorities on irregular services and corruption; the officers clarified on the entitlements of people and on various schemes; the names of nursing mothers who had not yet received JSY (Rs.500/- for home delivery and Rs.750/- for institutional delivery) and delivery kit (madilu kittu) etc were recorded. The officers promised that within a week these will be delivered to the concerned people.

As a consequence, the people accessing health care in PHCs and the institutional deliveries considerably increased; the pending JSY and Madilu Kittu were distributed; people and the medical staff started using JMS as bridge builders in dialogue. The condition of the PHCs (cleanliness, water, toilets etc) too improved to some extent. The usage of untied fund in villages was positive.