India

Vitória da Conquista – UFBA, UESB, SESI

The HealthRise program in Vitória da Conquista, in the Brazilian state of Bahia, was led by the Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) with additional support from the Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB) and Serviço Social da Indústria (SESI).

An estimated 40% of Vitória da Conquista’s approximately 350,000 inhabitants live below the poverty line. Among the primary challenges encountered in this region with regard to treatment of diabetes and hypertension are the frequent prioritization of acute care over chronic care and a lack of electronic medical records.

In Vitória da Conquista, interventions aimed at the following:

• Promoting and publicizing the newly founded municipal association for people with diabetes and hypertension in order to empower individuals to engage with helpful resources and manage their condition. • In coordination with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, implementing web-based electronic medical record systems in public basic health units. • Assisting public basic health units with strategic planning and restructuring of workflows to help ensure sufficient resource allocation for patients with non-communicable diseases. • Testing the impact and cost-effectiveness of HbA1c point-of-care and home blood pressure monitoring in primary healthcare facilities.

India

Udaipur - Catholic Health Association of India

The Catholic Health Association of India operated as the local implementation partner for the HealthRise Program in the Udaipur District of Rajasthan, India.

Much of Udaipur’s population lives in a rural setting, with long travel times and limited transportation options often inhibiting access to public health facilities. Lagging socioeconomic development in Udaipur contributes to low levels of health literacy. Financial and other constraints, both for individuals seeking care and within the health system, often result in the prioritization of acute over chronic care.

Hallmark features of the interventions implemented by CHAI in Udaipur, in addition to screening efforts and clinical and home-based follow-up, include the following:

• Community mobilization campaigns aimed at educating the population on diabetes and hypertension, recruiting for screening camps, and introducing individuals to the HealthRise program; mobilization efforts included a wide array of mediums, including household visits, street plays, wall paintings, radio campaigns, and public announcements. • Telephone and SMS messaging outreach efforts focused on encouraging individuals suspected of suffering from diabetes or hypertension to seek follow-up care, and serving as a resource for counseling existing patients on topics including risk factors, treatment options, complications, and lifestyle changes.