APPNA SEHAT
is a subsidiary of APPNA i.e., Association of Physicians of Pakistani decent
of North America and got registered with Security
and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under section 42 of companies ordinance
1984 on 28th March 2005. The main purpose of APPNA
SEHAT was to develop a low cost model which could address health and related
problems effectively and efficiently and to implement practically low cost
primary health care projects based on the model for poor and marginalized
segments of rural communities. APPNA appointed a team of health
experts to investigate the health situation in Pakistan.
The team suggested a Health Education
based low cost practical model for rural communities. The approach is
aiming at behavioral changes through education, guidance and capacity
building through trainings. The proposed model of self-help is a process of
transformation of marginalized, un-served, and looking for ‘dole-outs’
communities into effective, independent, self-sustaining communities,
meeting most of their needs especially the primary health care needs.
APPNA, on the basis of their
recommendations, launched a Primary Health Care program called SEHAT
(Scientific Educational Health Administrative Training) for rural
communities. The rationale of the program is based on people are the best
judge of their issues and problems and know solutions better than anybody
else they need to be guided and be empowered through capacity building
trainings.
The model was pilot tested from 1989 to
1992 in four topographically and culturally diverse areas of Pakistan from
mountains of NWFP through hills and planes of Punjab to deserts of Sindh.
APPNA SEHAT launched its first ever
Primary Health Care project in 1989 as pilot project with 16,357 people
living in 2,200 households of 15 villages at four places Mardan, Murree,
Sahiwal and Badin.
Nevertheless, there was a lot to learn
and more to attain to enrich our archives of experiences, and fortunately
during its toiling of 15 years, APPNA SEHAT has mounted up tremendous
experiences.
APPNA SEHAT has clear policy of
graduation out, which is the premise of the program, all those units which
were on APPNA SEHAT financial support for more than three years or more,
have been graduated out. The finances so spared will be used to include new
communities waiting for technical and social guidance to improve their life
style. So far 37 units at all locations have been graduated out of program
and added 16 new communities.
APPNA SEHAT- Salient features
