ACE-ME is an innovative effort to empower, educate and motivate patients, their care givers and health workers in solving community health problems at their level using available resources. This is the basis of the Swasthya Samithis (SS)/Peer Wellness Clubs and the Swasthya Bandhus (SBs)/Peer Volunteers.
As part of the support system to ACE-ME project, RICPHI’s trained social workers facilitate the following via the Swasthya Samithis:
- Address patient problems via regular educational and entertaining events
- Support patients in procuring the prescribed medications
- Monitor patients for blood sugar and blood pressure at SS meetings periodically
- Assist primary health centres and health & wellness centres for follow up of patients
- Enable specialist advice from Ramaiah Medical College via tele-consulting
- Enable real time decision making via robust electronic data management
Different Facets:
- Buy in from district administration
- Rapport building and community participation
- Multi-sectoral co-ordination
- Hands-on training and lifestyle modification
- Field trainings
The ACE-ME program aims to build the Swasthya Samithis such that the community can use it, not only as a meeting place for patients and caregivers, but also a source for knowledge sharing and behaviour change. The program team will gradually withdraw its active intervention once the Swasthya Samithi matures and starts progressing on its own. However, the monitoring and evaluation processes shall continue periodically, to assess the progress and the reasons for behaviour change, if any, towards improved compliance to treatment of chronic diseases.
Check out some videos from our 'Community Speaks' series here