In March 2024, Affordable Quality Health (AQH) launched an Impact Assessment of Health Literacy Intervention in the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Program in Chhattisgarh. This project is designed to address the escalating burden of NCDs by enhancing health literacy, equipping communities with the knowledge and awareness needed to prevent, manage, and mitigate the impact of these diseases.
NCDs remain a formidable global health challenge, straining public health systems and claiming lives at an alarming rate. In India, approximately 5.8 million people succumb to NCDs- including heart and lung diseases, stroke, cancer, and diabetes- underscoring the gravity of the crisis, with one in four Indians at risk. In Chhattisgarh, NCDs contribute 53.82% of total DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Year), signifying a substantial health burden. Through strategic partnerships, technical expertise, and mobilization of knowledge resources, AQH is committed to driving meaningful change across the state through targeted health literacy interventions.
The primary objective of NCD Health Literacy Project is to empower individuals and communities, enabling them to make informed health decisions and actively participate in NCD prevention and risk management. Monthly community awareness sessions are conducted in intervention villages, facilitated by trained community health facilitators. These sessions focus on critical areas of health promotion, including hypertension, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer. Each thematic focus is accompanied by carefully designed interactive activities that engage participants, fostering a deeper understanding of risk factors and effective disease management strategies. By integrating participatory learning, this initiative strengthens community involvement, making health literacy both accessible and impactful.
Through this project, AQH aims to elevate the general knowledge, awareness, and health practices of community members by imparting actionable health literacy. By simultaneously building the capacity of healthcare providers and fostering community engagement, the initiative strives to create a sustainable, scalable model for health literacy- —one that can be replicated in other regions, amplifying its long-term impact.
