• Self-Sustainable Healthcare Initiative
• Health Education
• Disaster Management
• Datamap
• Guitaristan
• Bridge-building

Self-Sustainable Healthcare Initiative

 

The SHINE/CDRS Community Healthcare Project is the brainchild of Todd Shea. The project has the goal of creating a healthcare system that is fully funded and managed jointly by the local governments and communities to benefit the poor, rural and remote areas of AJK and Pakistan. This builds accountability and ownership and minimizes the role of aid agencies in the long-term healthcare needs of the community.

More specifically, the program involves the creation of a community healthcare collective. This collective would be inexpensive per family but would generate sufficient funds to support a top notch primary healthcare delivery system which includes:

• Consultation, outpatient services, primary care and mother/child health services from 9 am - 2 p.m. (Mon - Sat) and Emergency medical services 24 hours a day at Chikar Rural Health Center & Sulmia Basic Health Unit staffed with committed and competent doctors,technicians, health workers and medicines and medical supplies, X-Ray/Lab/ Ultrasound/Dental facilities.
•  Two basic health exams (one every three months) with a Health Certificate, recording current state of health, weight, height, blood pressure and reflecting de-worming, updated vaccinations, hygiene, nutritional needs, and any required lab tests performed.
• Instituting extensive public health education initiatives and preventive programs, including Mother/Child Health, EPI, Salt Iodization, Nutrition, Promotion of Breast Feeding, Water/ Sanitation, De-worming, etc., school health and nutrition programs, vaccinations, mental health programs, generator fuel, 24 hour ambulance service, ambulance fuel/repair/ maintenance, re-filling of oxygen cylinders.
• Extensive support program and training of Medical Staff, Community Health Workers, Lady Health Workers and Lady Health Visitors in Management of Chronic Diseases, Mental Health, proper utilization of the Health Management Information System, etc.
• Disaster Preparedness and First Aid Training for staff and the community.
• Comprehensive data collection and analysis on an on-going basis.
• Additional coverage and counseling on government assistance and Zakat programs for more serious illnesses and ambulance transportation to hospitals as far as Rawalpindi/ Islamabad will be available to those who need more extensive care (rates and options will be determined at a later time).
• The provision of utilities, incentives and bonuses to boost the low salaries and morale of government health staff aims to attract and retain dedicated staff to these remote regions and assure the availability of quality healthcare for the community.

 

 

* The list of medicines that would be guaranteed to be in stock will be made available to each health plan member. ** The list of diagnostic tests that would be available at the Chikar Rural Health Center Laboratory will be made available to each health plan member.

 

Project area

 

The project is being implemented in the two Union Councils of Chikar and Sulmia with a total population close to 73,000. If successful, the project will be expanded to the nearby union councils of Mera Kalan and Katkair, situated in mountainous and remote Southeastern District Muzaffarabad, AJK, Pakistan. Further success will determine further expansion of the project into other areas of AJK and Pakistan.

 

Implementation Methodology

 

 

Here is how it works: A partnership is formed between SHINE/CDRS, the Village Health Committee comprising of elders and community leaders, and the local government. A Community Healthcare Collective is then is established and members contribute Rs. 25 per head/month for a period of six month (i.e. Rs. 150 per person for a six-month period). This money is collected by the Village Health Committee and deposited into the specifically designated SHINE/CDRS Healthcare Facility’s local bank account. No cash can be withdrawn from this account without a monthly budget approval by the Village Health Committee, SHINE/CDRS, the Chief Medical Officer of the health centers. The account and budget will be monitored by all partners and subject to regular audit. Principles of quality assurance and quality management will be strictly enforced and monitored. Each family member who has paid their dues to the plan will be entered into the computer system and given medical cards validating their use of the facilities for the following six months and renewed every six month. This self-paying system would ensure availability of funds for healthcare purposes and decrease the dependence on donors. Any family/ individual claiming to be too poor to afford the monthly dues of this plan would need to be verified as such every six months by the Village Health Committee in their village and a SHINE/CDRS Project Manager and would be eligible to receive a free medical card upon verification but would not benefit from any of the extra facilities, equipment, medicines and transportation paid by the Community Healthcare Collective. Quarterly progress reports, data and statistics will be shared with all partners.

 

Expected Outcomes and Timeline

 

STAGE 1– The first stage of project concentrates on educating and motivating community members on the importance and benefits of a government/community partnership to manage and finance a sustainable, effective and independent healthcare delivery system. At one year, a minimum 40% of community members who can afford to pay are participating in funding the project. Sustainable and effective government/community funded healthcare system is emerging, but still requires major external support for optimum health of the community. Improved operation of health facilities, better availability of ambulance service along with more comprehensive and aggressive public health initiatives have begun to make a noticeable and measurable positive impact on the community’s overall health and health awareness.

 

STAGE 2 – A minimum 70% of community members who can afford to pay are participating in funding the project. Sustainable and effective community/government-financed health system is achieved for optimum health of the community. External financial support required only for the most poor. Key health indicators and statistics for the most destructive community health problems now comparable to per capita levels in developed nations. With success and results, the community is becoming aware of their individual and collective ability to greatly improve their lives and the lives of their children by supporting a cause larger than the self. More children are healthy and succeeding in their studies than the area has ever seen before.

 

STAGE 3 – A minimum 90% of community members who can afford to pay are participating in funding the project. Sustainable, effective and independent community/government-financed healthcare system has been achieved for optimum health of the community. Local NGO support required only for the most poor. Key health indicators and statistics for the most destructive community health problems now matching per capita levels in developed nations. Empowered by their undeniable success in dramatically changing their healthcare condition, the community begins utilizing their ability to apply the self-empowering principles of this project to their benefit in other sectors. Having proven to be a huge success, the project is being implemented in remote and rural areas throughout AJK and Pakistan.

During the first year of the project’s development and implementation, SHINE/CDRS will need continued financial support from donors in order to properly implement the plan and avoid shortages in medicines, supplies and operational funds that would result in loss of important services and programs, which would also jeopardize the potential success of the long term plan to empower the community to be able to adequately provide for its own healthcare requirements regardless of what the government and charitable organizations can or can’t fully provide at any given point in the future.

 

The project has the support of the Prime Minister of AJK, the Director General of Health for AJK, the District Health Officer for Muzaffarabad and community leaders in the two Union Councils of Chikar and Sulmia . For this project to end with an effective, trustworthy and sustainable healthcare system in place that isn't dependent on CDRS and other NGO partners for effectiveness, three key factors must be met: strong community participation, transparency in collection and spending of financial resources and community satisfaction with the quality of service provided by the area's health facilities. Continuous advocacy must also be carried out for allocation of new resources to the healthcare system by the government.

Pakistan bank account information for direct wire transfers is as follows:

 

Account Name: Comprehensive Disaster Response Services
Branch Code: 0593
Account Number: 0593-01-01-004883-2
Swift Code: MUCBPKKA
MCB Main Branch Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

U.S. bank account information for direct wire transfers is as follows:

 

Account Name: SHINE
Account contact person: Laila Karamally
Contact address: 10 Roseleaf Irvine CA92620
Contact phone:
714 261 1044
Branch Code: 0593
Account Number:
23411 69564
Bank Name: Bank of America, Heritage Village
Bank Address: 14222 Culver Dr 
Bank City: Irvine
Bank State:CA
SWIFT Code: BOFAUS3N
ABA Routing number : 121 000 358; 0260009593

 

For the Haiti Earthquake Relief Mission, SHINE/CDRS partnered with Aimer Haiti, The Islamic Medical Association of North America, JP / HRO Foundation, Destiny World Outreach Missions and other many fine organizations,