Omar Bennett
Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums that are a key element of the National Rural Health Mission (NHM) in India. VHSNCs are formed at the revenue village level to address issues related to health and its social determinants, with a focus on women and children. The committee is typically composed of 12-15 members, including an elected member of the Panchayat as the leader, health workers, and representatives from vulnerable and socially disadvantaged groups, with over 75% being women. They play a crucial role in implementing initiatives outlined in the Village Health Plan and aim to improve health awareness, access to health services, and address specific local needs through community-based planning and monitoring.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Committees | 27673 |
| Minimum No. of Members | 12-15 |
| Leadership | Elected member of the Panchayat |
| Secretary and Convener | ASHA |
| Focus | Women and children |
| Services | Maternal and child health, family planning, sanitation, communicable diseases, health promotion, and nutrition |
| Activities | Strengthening village sanitation, conducting health awareness, supporting medical treatment for ill or malnourished children and pregnant mothers, monitoring community health workers, checking sub-centres, monitoring drug availability |
| Training | Less than 1% of members received training |
| Supervision | Supervision by district or block officials was rare |
| Composition | More than 75% women, almost all members from socially disadvantaged classes |
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What You'll Learn
- Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums
- They are formed to take collective action on health and social issues at the village level
- VHSNCs address maternal and child health, family planning, sanitation, communicable diseases and health promotion
- They are led by an elected member of the Panchayat and have a minimum of 12-15 members
- VHSNCs are supervised by Gram Panchayats and are granted Rs 10,000 each year to address village needs
Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums
In India, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums. The National Health Mission (NHM) instituted VHSNCs to achieve decentralization and community participation in public health institutions. The committees are formed at the revenue village level and act as sub-committees of the Gram Panchayat. They are central to 'local-level community action' and are intended to provide a platform for improving health awareness and access to health services for the community. VHSNCs also address specific local needs and serve as a mechanism for community-based planning and monitoring.
VHSNCs offer a range of services, including maternal and child health, family planning, sanitation, communicable disease prevention, health promotion, and nutrition. They aim to improve the nutritional status of women and children, acting as a grievance redressal forum on health and nutrition issues. ASHA, an elected member of the Panchayat, leads the committee as the member secretary and convener. VHSNCs are granted an untied fund of Rs. 10,000 every financial year to address village-level needs.
VHSNCs are expected to have a minimum of 12-15 members, with over 75% being women and most belonging to socially disadvantaged classes. However, a study found that many committee members lacked awareness of their responsibilities and fund utilization. VHSNCs play a vital role in implementing initiatives through the Village Health Plan, but they need education, mobilization, and monitoring to establish formal links with the wider health system effectively.
VHSNCs are essential for community health, particularly in rural areas. They empower communities to prioritize health needs and participate in designing and monitoring health services. While there is limited information about their composition and effectiveness, VHSNCs are instrumental in taking collective action on health and its social determinants at the village level.
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They are formed to take collective action on health and social issues at the village level
Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are formed to take collective action on health and social issues at the village level. They are a key element of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and are central to 'local-level community action'. VHSNCs are formed at the revenue village level and should act as a subcommittee of the Gram Panchayat, with a minimum of 15 members. The committee should be led by an elected member of the Panchayat, and all those working in health and health-related services should participate.
VHSNCs are intended to provide a platform for improving health awareness and access to health services for the community, as well as addressing specific local needs. They also serve as a mechanism for community-based planning and monitoring. For example, VHSNCs are responsible for creating awareness about nutritional issues and the significance of nutrition as a determinant of health. They also carry out surveys on nutritional status and deficiencies, particularly among women and children.
VHSNCs are also involved in health promotional activities such as health planning, health awareness activities, and supporting medical treatment for ill or malnourished children and pregnant mothers. They also monitor community health workers, check sub-centres, and monitor drug availability.
A study conducted in two rural districts in eastern India found that VHSNCs had equitable representation from vulnerable groups when they were formed. More than 75% of members were women, and almost all members belonged to socially disadvantaged classes. However, the same study also suggested that VHSNCs perform few of their specified functions for decentralized planning and action. To be effective in improving community health, sanitation, and nutrition, they need education, mobilisation, and monitoring for formal links with the wider health system.
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VHSNCs address maternal and child health, family planning, sanitation, communicable diseases and health promotion
The Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) were constituted in 2007 by the National Health Mission (NHM) in India. They are envisioned as being central to 'local-level community action' and fostering decentralized health planning. VHSNCs are responsible for developing village health plans, monitoring local public health services, and organizing collective action to promote health. They play a critical role in implementing and overseeing NRHM activities at the local level.
VHSNCs address maternal and child health by mobilizing pregnant women to access maternal health services such as antenatal care, delivery in public health facilities, and postnatal care. They also promote childhood vaccinations. VHSNCs are also responsible for supervising the functioning of Anganwadi Centres (AWC) in the village and facilitating improvements in the nutritional status of women and children. They act as a grievances redressal forum on health and nutrition issues.
VHSNCs address family planning by facilitating community participation in the planning and implementation of health services. They enable the community to articulate local health needs, including family planning requirements, and equip gram panchayats with the understanding and mechanisms required for their role in the governance of health and other services. VHSNCs also contribute to improving the availability, accessibility, quality, and usage of the public health system by involving the community in planning and monitoring health service delivery.
VHSNCs address sanitation by coordinating and supporting different activities, including village-level cleanliness drives and sanitation drives. They also address communicable diseases by carrying out surveys on nutritional status and nutritional deficiencies, which can impact an individual's susceptibility to disease. VHSNCs also work to reduce vector populations, which can help control the spread of vector-borne diseases.
VHSNCs address health promotion by creating awareness about nutritional issues and the significance of nutrition as a determinant of health. They identify locally available nutrient-rich foods and promote best practices congruent with the local culture, capabilities, and physical environment through community consultation. VHSNCs also monitor and supervise Village Health and Nutrition Day to ensure active participation from the whole village. They are granted an annual fund to mitigate village-level needs drawn through the village health plan.
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They are led by an elected member of the Panchayat and have a minimum of 12-15 members
Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums that are a key element of India's National Rural Health Mission. VHSNCs are formed to take collective action on health and its social determinants at the village level. They are central to 'local-level community action', which aims to improve health awareness, access to health services, and address specific local needs.
VHSNCs are led by an elected member of the Panchayat, with a minimum of 12-15 members. The committee is formed at the revenue village level and acts as a subcommittee of the Gram Panchayat, working under its overall supervision. The ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) residing in the village is the member secretary and convener of the committee.
VHSNCs offer services such as maternal and child health care, family planning, sanitation, communicable disease control, health promotion, and nutrition. They work to strengthen village sanitation, conduct health awareness activities, and support medical treatment for vulnerable groups, including ill or malnourished children and pregnant mothers.
A study conducted in two rural districts in eastern India found that VHSNCs had equitable representation from vulnerable groups, with over 75% of members being women, and almost all belonging to socially disadvantaged classes. However, the study also highlighted that many VHSNCs function without a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, facing challenges such as irregular meetings and workforce shortages.
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VHSNCs are supervised by Gram Panchayats and are granted Rs 10,000 each year to address village needs
In India, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) are participatory community health forums that address issues related to health, sanitation, and nutrition at the village level. Each VHSNC is granted Rs 10,000 each year to address village needs. The committee is formed at the revenue village level and functions as a subcommittee of the Gram Panchayat, which provides supervision.
The National Health Mission (NHM) envisioned that VHSNCs would be instrumental in achieving "people's participation in health planning" and improving rural health care services, with a focus on women and children. The services offered through VHSNCs include maternal and child health, family planning, sanitation, communicable disease prevention, health promotion, and nutrition.
VHSNCs are meant to take collective action on health and its social determinants in villages. They are expected to provide a platform for improving health awareness and access to health services, address specific local needs, and serve as a mechanism for community-based planning and monitoring. The committee should have a minimum of 12-15 members, including an elected member of the Panchayat who leads the committee, and all those working for health and health-related services should participate.
A study conducted in two rural districts in eastern India found that VHSNCs had equitable representation from vulnerable groups, with over 75% of members being women and almost all belonging to socially disadvantaged classes. However, the study also revealed that supervision of the committees by district or block officials was rare, and there were issues with the utilization of funds.
Another study conducted in the Dehradun district aimed to evaluate awareness regarding the responsibilities and functioning of VHSNCs among members. It found that the majority of committee members were unclear about their responsibilities and the utilization of funds.
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Frequently asked questions
VHSNC is a committee formed at the revenue village level to take collective actions on issues related to health and its social determinants.
The committee should have a minimum of 12-15 members, comprising an elected member of the Panchayat, who shall lead the committee, and all those working for health and health-related services. More than 75% of members are women, and almost all members belong to socially disadvantaged classes.
The roles of the VHSNC include health promotion, strengthening village sanitation, supporting medical treatment for ill or malnourished children and pregnant mothers, and addressing specific local needs. They also supervise the functioning of Anganwadi Centres in the village and facilitate the improvement of the nutritional status of women and children.
The National Health Mission (NHM) envisioned that VHSNCs would be formed under Gram Sabhas through District Health Administrations to achieve decentralisation and community participation at the grassroots level.
Each VHSNC is granted an untied fund of Rs. 10,000 every financial year to mitigate village-level needs drawn through the village health plan.
