Table 1.
Government of India vision and instrumentation of VHSNCs from five sources
| 1 Meeting people’s health needs in rural areas: framework for implementation 2005–2012, NRHM |
2 Guidelines regarding constitution of VHSNCs and utilization of untied grants to these committees, 2010 |
3 Framework for implementation 2012–2017, NHM |
4 Guidelines for community processes, NRHM, 2014 |
5 Handbook for members of VHSNC, NHM, 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VHSNCa to empower community to take leadership in health matters | VHSNC to be structured under umbrella of Gram Panchayat | VHSNC to be structured under umbrella of Gram Panchayat | VHSNC as platform for community to be informed about and participate in health programmes | |
| Gram Panchayat to take lead in management of village health | Use of untied grant for eligible expenses | VHSNC to monitor service delivery of health functionaries | Platform for community to articulate needs and for action to be taken to address social determinants of health | |
| Adequate representation of disadvantaged sections of the community | Adequate representation of disadvantaged and NGOs | VHSNC to support convergence of social determinants | VHSNC under umbrella structure of Gram Panchayat which should be empowered to take a leadership role in village health governance and promotion of collective action | |
| VHSNC to be accountable for expenses, survey data and records | VHSNC training to be given | Listen to the voice of lay service users, especially mothers | Health as a basic human right for which government is responsible to provide | |
| VHSNCs to be given orientation and training after establishment | Measure VHSNC performance based on meeting frequency, untied grant spent on eligible activities, good record-keeping, achievement of children frequenting anganwadib centre, numbers of institutional delivery, number of non-functional hand pumps in village, households with toilets, school midday meal and use of mosquito nets by pregnant women | |||
a
The VHSNCs were earlier known as VHSCs. In 2011, an order was issued to expand the committee’s role to include nutrition.
b
An anganwadi centre is a rural childcare centre in India.