Community-Based Health Financing: CARE India's Experience in the Maternal and Infant Survival Project

Abstract

In a rural Indian population beset with inadequate health access to people owing to socio-cultural and economic factors, CARE India under the Maternal and Infant Survival Project encouraged village women to form Community Based Oragnisations (CBOs) and collectively save funds for health.

15 months of implementation showed that CBOs were formed in 345 of 447 project villages and health funds were operational in 203. 292 persons benefited from health funds through loans for treatment. 56% loans being repaid within the grace/low interest period.

The experience shows that village women when appropriately encouraged are capable of evolving rules and managing health funds. The process empowers village women (through access to resources and information and the strength of social capital) to take decisions and act to improve their well being.

Health funds have been have proved to be useful in addressing obstetric complications, infant illnesses and have also led to additional initiatives (social marketing of disposable delivery kits, village drug bank and plugging gaps in government supplies), that improve health care.

Keywords: Community based organisations (CBOs), health funds, loans for treatment, obstetric complications, infant illness, healthcare