Power of linkage

[Jyotika Barua]

For past one year, we have facilitated CLCP in Barongajuli no. 3, Udalguri, Assam, India mainly around immunization and healthy children. Immunization coverage has improved.

On 11^th July Santu and I visited this village.  We had a discussion with ASHA who reported of a seven-month-old baby is not getting vaccine.  After CLCP, ASHA’s level of concern and commitment for the village has increased but this is a segregated area and she wanted our support for the issue.  The baby’s home is on the other side of the river and there is no bridge. We decided to follow up the case. We crossed the river to know out more. 

We found out that the mother of the child had died and his two elder sisters are looking after the child. The baby has an external growth on the head and so the family has not taken her for vaccination. Father is daily wage earner and the 11-year-old elder sister goes to work in the nearby small tea garden.  They do not have time and also need to cross the river to get the baby vaccinated. So we told that we'll discuss the point with Block Community Mobilizer (BCM) and District Immunization officer (DIO) and will let them know.

We shared the case with BCM who asked the ASHA to get the child to the Block Primary Health centre on Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) day.
Then ASHA took the initiative to call the ambulance. The father took the baby for check up. The doctor said that there was nothing to worry and referred to Udalguri civil hospital for proper treatment. He said that the child could be given immunization.

Two lessons on CLCP facilitation

Lesson one- Santu, my co-facilitator said that she realized how linkages help in solving some difficult issues in the community. This is an isolated village in the midst of a thick forest. People have limited education and awareness and still do not have the capacity to reach out for services. So,SALT facilitator demonstrated to the community how things could be done.

Lesson two- After SALT and CLCP importance of immunization is well known to the community.  ASHA has taken the initiative of approaching us, the family also agreed to take action.