The faculty of Community medicine of the Royal College of Physicians has defined Community Medcine as- "that speciality which deals with population and comprises of those doctors who try to measure the needs of the population, both sick and well, who plan and administer services to meet those needs and those who are engaged in research and teaching in the field."
The Department of Community Health at Holy Family Hospital aims to achieve the above in the following manner-
Goals-
- To reduce mortality and morbidity due to various common diseases(communicable and non Communicable).
- To reduce maternal, neonatal and infant mortality rate.
- To gauge community need assessment.
- To train ASHA/ ANM/ community health volunteers.
- To improve health care provision through referrals to higher centers.
- To promote sanitation, environmental cleanliness.
Objectives-
- To dispense basic modern generic medicines provided by the Indian Government to doorsteps of underpriviledged people living in communities without any discrimination of caste, creed or religion.
- To help the people in their problems, either medical or social, with a positive and sympathetic attitude.
- To make people aware of preventive measures of various diseases through one-to-one communcation.
- To educate people in hygiene issues and cleanliness of the environment by spreading awareness about illpractices, promoting use of toilets, hand washing and proper garbage disposal.
- To provide ANC and PNC care to women in reproductive age group.
- To proper treatment of various basic diseases through syndromic approach, especially for infants, children, pregnant female, elderly including RTI, STI, family welfare services.
- To provide immunsation in keeping with the National Immunisation Schedule.
- To motivate and properly utilise the staff and resources available for early detection of diseases of epidemic potential, and train them in dealing with an epidemic in the community.
- To give regular health talks, discusssions and demonstrations done by nursing students and interns regarding prevention and treatment of diseases.
- To screen cases needing higher medical attention not managable at the level of community clinics, and to refer them to higher centres for further inevstigation and treatment.
- To provide affordable medical investigations and drugs to underpriviledged
Activities-
- Mobile health program - Monday to Saturday
- OPD for underpriviledged people in the Community Health Department- Monday - Friday.
- Hospital free clinic for underpriviledged people on Thursday.
- Well baby clinic on Tuesday for immunisation, growth charting, developmental assesment.
- Health talk given by interns /ANM in the field and CHD.
- Door to door home visit and assesment of family health, hygiene and environment by ANM.
Programs
- Nursing school student training.
- Social counselling of the patients.
- Assistance to NGOs
- Assist the National Immunisation Program.
- Assist all National Disease Control Program.
- Role play and health awareness for JJ cluster.
- Health education in OPD of the hospital.