A one-day consultative workshop was held on October 17, 2024, at IIPH, Shillong to discuss the design and implementation of a proposed intervention to involve Village Health Councils (VHC) in West Garo Hills.
The workshop aimed to explore how VHCs can be engaged to diffuse health information and enhance care seeking behavior among the community, particularly for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and childhood immunization. The objectives of the workshop were to share the scope of IPSI activities in Meghalaya with the stakeholders, explore ways in which VHCs can be effectively engaged to improve health of rural communities, obtain feedback on IPSI’s proposed VHC intervention and its focus areas, ensure the intervention is aligned with state and district priorities and finally, develop a shared understanding of the intervention strategy. The workshop was attended by state and district (West Garo Hills) level health officials engaged with NHM, CPHC and VHCs, IPSI team members including faculty from IIPHS and AIIMS New Delhi and representatives from NGOs and communications agencies currently working in Meghalaya.
The consultation effectively highlighted the critical role of VHCs in enhancing community health outcomes in Meghalaya. Through insightful presentations, discussions and group work, participants gained a deeper understanding of the status of VHC implementation and HWC service delivery in Meghalaya overall and in West Garo Hills specifically, and the opportunities for improving community engagement in health initiatives. The discussions also highlighted the challenges that must be accounted for in the design and implementation of the IPSI intervention. The workshop emphasized the importance of culturally tailored interventions and coordinated efforts between state systems and communities; it also helped identify some of the key health messages that can be used to engage the VHCs.
