Achievements

The Karuna Trust PPP model for managing PHCs has seen spectacular success over the past few years. We would like to specifically share with you two such success stories.
Infant mortality Rate is defined as the number of infant deaths (one year of age or younger) per 1000 live births. As per the Sample Registration System (SRS 2008), the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) for India in 2008 was 53 overall and 58 in the Rural areas and 36 in the Urban areas. Karuna Trust took over the management of the Gumballi PHC in 1996 when the IMR recorded for the population served by this PHC was high as 75. Karuna Trust’s dedicated medical staff and its efficient management practice has enabled it to dramatically reduce the IMR for the Gumballi PHC to under 30 in 2008. The picture charts this remarkable progress. Gumballi’s IMR now compares favourably with the IMR for urban India; an extraordinary achievement.

Another strategy that has a salutary effect on both the Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is encouraging birth in a medical institution. While this seems like an easy and an obvious strategy to implement, there are significant challenges in executing it especially in rural India, not the least of which is access to an effective and efficient institution when the child is ready to be born. PHCs have an important role in successfully encouraging institutional delivery. The Karuna Trust managed Sugganhalli PHC has a stellar record in supporting institutional delivery and in 2008-09 has ensured almost 100% of all births in the community are in the institutional premises.