Introduction

CASHPOR is an organisation exclusively working for the poorest of poor in 5 states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh/ Bundelkhand by providing them financial support in a timely an effective manner with a mission to help them out of poverty, to uplift their living standard and also to ensure that they do not fall back into poverty again by providing them vital services of Health and Education.

CASHPOR has known for a long time that access to financial services are not all that the rural poor need to fight poverty. As poor health and medical expenses can severely impact the savings and finances of the poor. Health education and awareness services is conducted through Community Health Facilitators (CHFs) who promote Health, Hygiene & Sanitation practices. Similarly, a basic education is the gate way to salaries income. Hence, CASHPOR has offered cost effective Health & Education to its beneficiaries. Initially CASHPOR provided qualifies medical practitioner and conducted Mini Health Clinics and Health Camps in its regions, but since the Pandemic CASHPOR introduce telemedicine’s in entire CASHPOR regions which was supported by CASHPOR Health Clinics (E-Clinics).

Types Of Health Services

Health Awareness

Community Health Facilitator (CHF) Programme

Even if State provided health services function optimally one needs collective action by the community for an adequate improvement in health status of an area. Health education, through CHFs creating awareness and the organization of support activities to help women are essential for ensuring an acceptable health status in a community. Ensuring adequate sanitation in the village, access to safe drinking water solutions, reach of renewable energy stoves for LPG connection, access to affordable health products & services and other steps to prevent disease outbreaks, first aid and symptomatic curative measures in those habitations that are too far away from any medical help, are examples of measures that a community needs to take to ensure adequate health care for itself.

The CHF training programme has a duration of 1-year and includes–

• Identifying the specific health needs of his or her community and provide solutions to improve quality healthcare delivery, access, and affordability
• Educating community on prevention, early intervention and treatment of health issues such as general health, nutrition, sanitation, and personal and environmental hygiene and disease
• Working with existing community groups to initiate health financing mechanisms (i.e. Health Savings Groups)
• Planning and implementing various health projects that are relevant in the community
• Sharing information on existing government health programs and build linkages with government healthcare agencies and make referrals to the necessary level of care when necessary
• Incubating health enterprises which are managed by the community.

Livelihood Program

As a progression from the CHFs program, we have now also move towards the proposed project of “Community Health Facilitator’s-Livelihood program is aimed at the goal of ensuring sustainable Livelihood for the Community Health Facilitators through awareness of Health & Hygiene amongst people in rural areas, as well as ensuring them the access to quality Health Products at an affordable price so far CASHPOR has offered its beneficiaries through its CHFs.

Services

CASHPOR is now offering to its beneficiaries Telemedicine/ Doctor on Call Services:

CASHPOR through its partner provides health services through telemedicine’s/ doctor on call, this provides medical advice and consultancy via phone, video call, or other means by providing, assisting, and facilitating all support services by supplying health-related information, data and gives medical advice on the phone or other means of communications by due complying the applicable laws, regulations and professional etiquette by such practitioners through the call center service.

Doctor on Call:

The core node of the product is a tele-doctor service. Utilizing mobile forms of communication (phone calls, chat messaging, and video), customers can call this service and receive a consultation from a certified doctor. Depending on the condition, the doctor may diagnose and recommend treatment or medication. In some cases, the doctor will refer the customer to E-Clinic (i.e. 444 CASHPOR E-Clinics) (Clinics with primary health care and video consultation facility). In all cases, the doctor will maintain a digital medical record for each customer and will follow-up after an initial consultation. This facility can also be utilized by all beneficiaries family members.

Mini–Health Clinic (MHC)

Through CASHPOR Mini Health Clinic our aim is to provide health check-up/diagnostic kit/treatment prescription facilities at those operational areas which are extremely interior as per geographical structure and beneficiaries don’t have easy access to medical facilities. Specialist doctors on rotational basis cover our ill beneficiaries and their family members on regular interval which helps them to diagnose their disease and create an awareness about their health issues in proper and timely manner.

Objectives

• To provide effective medical assistance to our poor beneficiaries.
• To reduce health expenses.
• Thus, increases working hours.

Through Mini – Health Clinic, company wants to sensitize its beneficiaries on different health issues so that they can become aware about their health and the can adopt the right & timely treatment. Mini – Health Clinic service is not limited to our beneficiaries only, services of MHC can also be utilized by all beneficiaries family members also.

Water & Sanitation Program

In light of company’s mission, CASHPOR is also providing services for Health Awareness and clean water. The company has also launched a Water and Sanitation Loan Product in the 2012-13 with an objective to discourage open defecation and providing financial assistance to make existing toilets usable. The Financial assistance is provided for construction of new toilets/improvement of existing toilets and providing water arrangement.

Objectives

Water supply and Sanitation facilities are complementary in promoting community as well as personal hygiene and are essentials to eliminating diseases cycle and improving health conditions. The short term objective of the program would be to ensure availability of WATSAN Loan for gaining access to safe water and Sanitation services. These loan should be offered as supplementary loan to the Income Generating Loan.

The long term objective of the program is to significantly improve the health indicators of the local population including elimination of the practice of open defecation.

Key Objectives

• To promote Health Education with objective to bring improvement in Health behaviour.
• To increase awareness about water borne diseases.
• To discourage open defecation & encourage for using toilets.

Energy Program

Cashpor has always tried to raise the standard of living of its beneficiaries and has been working keeping in mind their health and has accordingly introduced safe Loan products. In this respect, Company Management has recently decided to introduce a loan product named as Cashpor Energy Loan to enable our beneficiaries to buy Solar-energy operated products, smokeless stoves, etc. The amount of energy loan shall be upto Rs. 5,000/-.

As you know that most of our beneficiaries reside in remote rural areas where either there is no facility of electricity or, if available, is not available in enough quantity at appropriate times to suffice their requirements; due to which our beneficiaries have to depend upon and resort to the traditional mud made stoves for cooking food and use kerosene lamps for enlightening their houses, etc. These activities lead to emission of smoke containing high amount of carbon-dioxide which is extremely harmful for them as well as their families. The use of Kerosene Lamps by children during evening while studying causes a lot of damages to the surrounding environment. Thus, the Company Management, with a view to enlighten the dark houses of its beneficiaries and considering the health of their families, has decided to provide the beneficiaries with Cashpor Energy Loan.