HII Project (Health and social security protection intervention in East Singhbhum and Khunti District (Jharkhand)

COVID pandemic has affected millions and the people of Jharkhand were no exception to the disruptions that resulted from the pandemic. The rural community in Jharkhand were vulnerable as many of their relatives as migrant workers had been stranded in different parts of the country. Further the state reeled under the pressure of limited access to essential services and facilities such as food, health services and social security benefits for being safe against disruptions. Realising the need to extend support and regularise coverage for the basic services, PHIA Foundation, with support from Skoll Foundation, accelerated relief and awareness efforts in 93 villages across East Singhbhum and Khunti district in Jharkhand. Under the project intervention, field staffs from PHIA Foundation conducted extensive sensitisation meetings with community leaders, PRI representatives, youth, adolescent and frontline workers to raise awareness of a targeted 200000 individuals; created linkages with various social security and livelihood benefits to 10000 people and with health services including COVID vaccination for 90000 individuals. The programme helped in supporting the efforts of ANM, ASHA, AWW and school teachers to address vaccination uptake whereby issues of gender equality and social inclusion in accessing vaccination and other essential health and social services were addressed. In the process, the programme strengthened the public health infrastructure for tackling public health emergencies, especially supporting the COVID pandemic related services.