Success-Stories-on-Health-Sector

guJarat
‘asHa aPnE aangnE’ - raDio ProgrammE For asHas
ProblEm statEmEnt
Lack of regular communication channels with ASHAs
regarding key health messages and updates about
government schemes.
ProgrammE DEsCriPtion
The State of Gujarat launched the radio programme for
ASHAs known as “ASHA AAPNE AANGNE” in mid
2014, drawing lessons from the ASHA radio programme
in Assam. The key objectives of the programme are to
improve the knowledge of ASHAs on topical health
issues, strengthen communication capacity and to provide
information on government schemes. The programme
uses an infotainment approach, with a combination of
Storytelling/Discussion/Questions/Answer and Review.
The content of the programme includes recent developments
in health programmes with a special focus on maternal
and child care. it also provides information in areas of
water and sanitation, and organizing a successful VHND.
A catchy theme song on ‘ASHA AAPNEAANGNE’ is the
soundtrack and serves to mobilize ASHAs and generate
interest in the community. The script for each episode is
prepared in consultation with subject experts. Each prerecorded
episode is verified by the team before it is aired.
Information about the programme and its objectives is
provided through specially organized SAT COM sessions,
communication to beneficiaries through the e-mamta
system, and newspaper advertisements. The Gram Sanjivani
Samiti (equivalent to the Village Health, Sanitation and
Nutrition Committees) purchase the radio set based on a
set of specifications at a price of Rs. 500. The 15 minute
programme is aired twice a week on Saturdays between
6.45 pm to 7.00 pm, with a repeat broadcast on Wednesday
from 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm. All ASHAs under GSS come
together to listen to the programme on Saturday at a fixed
venue. Repeat broadcast of the programme is scheduled
such that community can listen to the programme along
with ANM, AWW and ASHAs on Mamta Day (equivalent
to Village Health and Nutrition Day).
A total of 31 episodes of ‘ASHA AAPNE AANGNE’ radio
programme have been aiR successfully. Field based
monitoring is done by Data Assistant & Block Information
Education Communication Officers (BIECO) in districts,
and a quarterly review by senior officials from IEC, Rural
Health and from collaborating agencies (Prasar Bharti
and UNICEF-Gujarat), chaired by the Mission Director,
national Health Mission.
ProgrammE outComEs
Field reports indicate wide acceptance of radio programmes
among ASHAs and other community members.
imPlEmEnting PartnErs
Prasar Bharati/all india Radio (aiR), ahmedabad,
National Health Mission, Gujarat and UNICEF.
FinanCial invEstmEnt
in addition to the cost of procuring the radio set, the
cost of production for 54 episodes is Rs. 6,06,744 and for
broadcasting it is Rs. 9,28,368.
sCalabilitY
The use of in-house experts from health departments in
developing content and the broadcast through Prasar
Bharti (aiR) has made it possible to minimize the cost
of the initiative. Similar radio programmes for ASHAs
have also been implemented in States of Assam, West
Bengal and Jharkhand and the launch of this initiative
in Gujarat indicates that there is increasing acceptance
of this form of communication with ASHA and the
community, and the potential for scaling up.
ConClusions/lEssons lEarnt
The initiative has facilitated communication with ASHAs,
and made it possible to reach all ASHAs with standardized
messages, leaving little room for confusion, common
where there is a cascading model of information provision.
However weak transmission in certain pockets hampers
the reach especially to ASHAs residing in the most difficult
and hard to reach areas.
Contact
Consultant-IEC, Gujarat, Project Manager-ASHA
Resource Centre, Gujarat
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