Area of work

ARTH’s work on Research, Technical Assistance and Advocacy spreads across the whole State of Rajasthan. For Services and Innovation, the field programme is implemented in Southern Rajasthan with a population of about 50000.

Basic statistics of Rajasthan

Rajasthan, with a geographical area of 342,000 square kilometers is India’s largest state, constituting 10.43 percent of the total area of the country. Known for a rich tradition and culture woven around its folk traditions and palaces, royalty, battles, and a strong sense of honor. However, in the 21st century context, Rajasthan is characterized by water scarcity, poverty, illiteracy, and a conservative, patriarchal social structure. It is among one of the least developed states of the country.

Service innovation programme covers 49 villages in southern Rajasthan

The field service and surveillance programme operates in two geographic clusters (total population about 50,000) spread over three blocks of southern Rajasthan. The blocks are Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand district, Gogunda and Badgaon in Udaipur district. Despite high fertility and mortality, the largely tribal population of this area has limited access to rational (i.e. appropriate) health care. ARTH’s field programme integrates clinic and extension services with culturally appropriate health communication activities. In addition to the tangible benefit of service to the population, the field programme allows ARTH to test innovative ideas in a manner that is sensitive to prevailing social, economic and gender constraints.

The field programme features provision of reproductive and child health services through a clinic; periodic outreach services in all villages; community based education and distribution of health products through volunteers; health education of women, men and adolescents; mobilization of panchayati raj self government institutions on health issues; and surveillance of a few service coverage indicators.

Cluster	Panchayat Samiti	Villages	Total Population	% SC/ST
Kadiya	Badgaon	22	19202	39
Kuncholi	Kumbalgarh	19	19977	52
	Gogunda	8	9887	48
Total		49	49063	46

The reproductive and child health (RCH) clinics operate in one central village in each cluster - village Kuncholi of Kumbalgarh block in Rajsamand district and village Kadiya of Badgaon block of Udaipur district. The RCH centres provide the following services :

Biweekly women's health services through a gynecologist.
Weekly child health services through a pediatrician.
24 hour delivery services through nurse-midwives.
Day and night delivery services through nurse-midwives.