HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN RURAL

COMMUNITIES…

PREPARED BY:--
NAME:-- SNEHA ROY
STUDENT I’D:-- 2330955020
ROLL NO:-- 30942823028
SUBJECT:-- BBA(HM)202
COLLEGE CODE:-- 309
COURSE NAME:--BBA IN
HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

TECHNO MAIN SALT LAKE

 INTRODUCTION…

Rural communities are characterised by smaller populations,

agricultural or natural resource-based economies, close-knit social
structures, and often a slower pace of life compared to urban areas.
They often rely on farming, fishing, forestry, or mining as primary
economic activities and tend to have strong community bonds and
traditions. Access to services like healthcare and education can be
more limited compared to urban areas, and there of a strong
connection to nature and the land.

Rural residents often encounter barriers to healthcare that limit their

ability to obtain the care they need. There are countless barriers that
prevent people from receiving proper timely healthcare, and
addressing these barriers can help us build better healthcare for
everyone in all regions.

Due to the nature of rural communities being remote they often lack
larger facilities or funding, leading to poor access in comparison to
their urban counterparts.

Rural areas may face shortage of doctors, nurses, and may other
healthcare professionals. This scarcity can lead to longer wait times for
appointments and limited access to specialized care. Rural areas have
fewer hospitals, clinics and specially care centers.
CHALLENGES IN RURAL HEALTHCARE:-

Look at the concerning challenges faced by rural healthcare systems :--

1)Geographical Obstacles:--
The rural population is dispersed across vast and often inaccessible
areas. The dispersion complicates the establishment and maintenance
of healthcare infrastructure, making access to medical facilities
difficult for many.

2) Insufficient infrastructure:--
In rural areas, a lack of proper healthcare facilities, like hospitals,
clinics and medical equipment, contributes to delayed or compromised
medical care.

3) Healthcare workforce shortage:--

Rural areas face a shortage of qualified healthcare workers,
particularly doctors and nurses. The unequal distribution of medical
staff leads to an imbalanced doctor-patient ratio, which has an impact
on the quality of care.

4) Healthcare awareness and education:--

In rural communities, a lack of health education and awareness
campaigns leads to misconception about diseases, prevention strategies,
and available treatments. Early intervention and appropriate care
seeking behaviour are hampered by a lack of information.

5) Factors of socioeconomic status:-- Poverty, a lack of sanitation,

and poor nutrition all contribute to higher disease rates in rural areas.
BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN
RURAL AREAS:---
1)Transportation challenges:--
Limited public transportation options and long travel distances can
make it difficult for rural residents to reach healthcare facilities.

2) Geographic distance:--
Remote locations often lack nearby healthcare facilities, making it
difficult for residents to access medical care promptly.

3) Limited healthcare infrastructure:--

Rural areas may have fewer hospitals, clinics, and healthcare
professionals compared to urban areas, resulting in longer wait times
and limited services.

4) Lack of health insurance coverage:--

Many rural residents may lack health insurance coverage, making
healthcare services unaffordable.

5) Shortage of healthcare providers:--

Rural areas often face shortages of healthcare professionals, including
doctors, nurses, and specialists, leading to longer wait times and
limited availability of services.

6) Health literacy and education:--

Limited access to health information and lower health literacy levels in
rural communities can hinder individuals’ ability to understand.
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE
ACCESS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES:----
 Promoting Healthy Lifestyles:--
Educating rural populations about the dangers of non-
communicable diseases and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices like
balanced diets and regular physical activity can help to reduce the
impact of these diseases.

 Initiatives of the government:--

National Health Mission has increased the scale of government
initiatives like NHM, which aims to provide essential medical
services, maternal healthcare, and vaccinations in rural areas and
can significantly improve healthcare access.

 Improving the Healthcare workforce:--

Training local healthcare workers, like nurses, midwives, and
community health workers, enables them to provide primary care
and health education their communities.

 Telemedicine and Mobile clinics:--

By utilising technology for telemedicine services, rural
residents can gain access to virtual medical consulting and
diagnoses, bridging the gap between patients and healthcare
professionals. Understand that deploying medically equipped mobile
healthcare units to remote areas facilitates health check-up, tests,
vaccinations, and basic medical treatments.
Three Tier System of Rural Healthcare:---

 Sub Centres (SCs):--

The sub centre is the most peripheral and first contact point
between the primary healthcare system and the community. Sub
centres are assigned tasks relating to interpersonal communication
in order to bring about behavioural change and provide services in
relation to maternal and child health, family welfare, nutrition,
immunization, diarrhoea control and control of communicable
diseases programmes.

 Primary Health Centre (PHC):--

PHC is the first contact point between village community and
the medical officer. The PHCs were envisaged to provide an
integrated curative and preventive healthcare to the rural
population with emphasis on preventive and promotive aspects of
healthcare.

 Community Health Centres (CHCs):--

CHCs are being established and maintained by the state
government under MNP/ BMS programme. As per minimum
norms, a CHC is required to be manned by four medical specialists
i.e. surgeon, physician, and paediatrician supported by 21
paramedical and other staff.
 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:---

 Health Education Programs:--

Implementing community based health education programs to
raise awareness about preventive care, chronic disease management,
and healthy lifestyle choices. Engaging local residents through
workshops, seminars, and outreach events to empower them with
knowledge and skills to make informed healthcare decisions.

 Partnerships with Local Organizations:--

Collaborating with community-based organizations, faith-based
groups, schools, and business to create multidisciplinary
partnerships focused on improving healthcare access.
Pooling resources, expertise, and networks to address social
determinants of health, expand services delivery, and foster
sustainable solutions tailored to the needs of rural populations.

 Mobilizing Community Volunteers:--

Recruiting and training community volunteers to serve as health
advocates, peer educators and outreach coordinators.
Leveraging the strengths and resources if local residents to
support healthcare initiatives, facilitate access to services, and
promote health equity within the community.
 CONCLUTION:---

Access to healthcare in rural communities remains a

pressing issue, with various factors like geographic
isolation, shortage of healthcare professionals, and limited
healthcare infrastructure contributing to the challenge.
Efforts to improve access include professionals to work in
rural areas. However, more comprehensive and
sustainable solutions are needed to ensure equitable
healthcare access for all rural residents.
Access to quality healthcare is a significant challenge for
rural communities worldwide. Even when healthcare
facilities exist, they frequently lack essential medical
supplies and equipment. This hampers the ability to
provide timely and effective care , especially in
emergencies or critical medical situations.
THANK YOU….