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Expanding Roles of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the 2019 Hepatitis E Outbreak in a Peri-urban Slum, Nagpur, India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2022

Kalaiselvi Selvaraj ,
Akkilagunta Sujiv ,
Sitikantha Banerjee ,
Kajari Bandyopadhyay  and
Pradeep Ramrao Deshmukh
Kalaiselvi Selvaraj*
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtre, India
Akkilagunta Sujiv
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtre, India
Sitikantha Banerjee
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtre, India
Kajari Bandyopadhyay
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtre, India
Pradeep Ramrao Deshmukh
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtre, India
*
Corresponding author: Kalaiselvi Selvaraj, Email: kalaiselvi.dr@gmail.com.
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Abstract

Objective:

Due to constraints in the dedicated health work force, outbreaks in peri-urban slums are often reported late. This study explores the feasibility of deploying Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in outbreak investigation and understand the extent to which this activity gives a balanced platform to fulfil their roles during public health emergencies to reduce its impact and improve mitigation measures.

Methods:

Activities of ASHAs involved in the hepatitis E outbreak were reviewed from various registers maintained at the subcenter. Also, various challenges perceived by ASHAs were explored through focus group discussion (FGD). During March to May 2019, 13 ASHAs involved in the hepatitis outbreak investigation and control efforts in a peri-urban slum of Nagpur with population of around 9000. In total, 192 suspected hepatitis E cases reported.

Results:

During the outbreak, ASHAs performed multiple roles comprising house-to-house search of suspected cases, escorting suspects to confirm diagnosis and referral, community mobilization for out-reach investigation camps, risk communication to vulnerable, etc. During the activity, ASHAs faced challenges such as constraints in the logistics, compromise in other health-related activities, and challenges in sustaining behavior of the community.

Conclusions:

It is feasible to implement the investigation of outbreaks through ASHAs. Despite challenges, they are willing to participate in these activities as it gave them an opportunity to fulfil the role as an activist, link worker, as well as a community interface.

Keywords

infectious diseaseswater supplyvoluntary workerspublic health practiceleadershipaccredited social health activists
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e270
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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