CPHC orientation workshop, Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, September 3, 2024

“Strengthening Comprehensive Primary Health Care: Capacity Building and Digital Integration Workshop under the IPSI-Jhpiego Initiative in Fatehpur, U.P”

The India Primary Healthcare Support Initiative (IPSI), in collaboration with JHPIEGO, organized a workshop on 3rd September 2024 to strengthen Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) at the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) office in Fatehpur. Facilitated by Dr. Preet Verma, Consultant, Technical Unit, AIIMS; CNV Sai Bharath, State Program Officer (SPO), JHPIEGO; and Dr. Bhushan Choudhary, SPO, JHPIEGO, the workshop brought together 26 participants, comprising block and district-level health officials, including the CMO, ACMO/s, DPM, DQ-AC, BCPM, BPM, HEO, and Medical Officers.

The session commenced with a welcome address by the CMO of Fatehpur, followed by a pre-test to gauge the participants’ knowledge on CPHC. Mr. CNV Sai Bharath introduced the core concepts of CPHC, outlining the objectives and goals of the workshop. Dr. Preet Verma then led an in-depth session on the concept of CPHC, emphasizing Primary Health Care (PHC), community engagement, and inter-sectoral action. A crucial segment of the workshop involved discussions around Jan Arogya Samiti (JAS) and Village Health Sanitation & Nutrition Committees (VHSNC), their roles, responsibilities, and strategies to strengthen these structures for enhanced community health outcomes.

The workshop included interactive group activities where participants were divided into teams to explore and understand key elements of the CPHC model. One such activity was the development of a spider diagram to contemplate CPHC concepts, followed by role plays and case scenarios to reinforce team-based care. These activities aimed to enhance collaboration among participants, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of different team members in delivering quality health services.

Dr. Bhushan Choudhary’s session emphasized data utilization and digital platforms to drive effective decision-making. Using case studies from the participants’ professional experiences, he showcased how digital health tools could be leveraged to improve health outcomes at the district level.

The event concluded with an open discussion on strengthening Essential Public Health Functions in the district, followed by a post-test and feedback session. Finally, discussions with the CMO focused on a roadmap for achieving National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and completing Expanded Package of Services (EPS) training across the district. The workshop not only provided a platform for capacity building but also served as a critical step toward achieving IPSI’s goals of strengthening primary healthcare in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh.