PCI, a Global Communities Partner, has been working in India since 1998 with the mission to empower people to enhance health, end hunger, overcome hardship and advance women and girls. PCI, a Global Communities Partner, envisions a world in which the most vulnerable people will have the power to lift themselves out of poverty and to create vital, healthy lives for their families and communities now and for the future.
PCI works with the government as well as social actors to create an enabling environment to improve and activate the social position of marginalized populations, especially women and girls, as well as strengthen convergent actions on the ground. Knowledge and evidence-based decision-making and data-driven management have been a trademark of our programs in India. For over two decades, PCI has maintained a diverse portfolio in India, with a presence in more than one-fifth of all districts in the country, reaching over 10 million people in 2019 alone. PCI’s health, gender, and community development programming focuses on low-income, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, especially adolescent girls, women of reproductive ages and children. By integrating its community mobilization and empowerment approaches into the government strategies and systems, PCI is helping to ensure that millions of vulnerable women, children, families, and communities throughout India have the ability to advocate for, access and utilize quality health, nutrition, and empowerment services and information for generations to come.
About ACTION to CHANGE TOGETHER (ACT) to minimize the risk of NCDs with a focus on Hypertension and Diabetes Project:
Each year, 15 million people die from NCDs between the ages of 30 and 69 years and over 85% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries[1]. According to the National Center of the Biotechnology Information, the cumulative loss of national income for India due to non-communicable disease mortality for 2006–2015 is estimated to be $237 billion. A recent survey report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), published in 2021, is showing an alarming rise of NCDs in India and is projecting that more than 2/3rd of the individuals suffering from NCDs are in the most productive life-age groups i.e. 26-59 years’ age. The ASSOCHAM survey has reported that the NCDs increase after 18 years of age and show a quantum leap when an individual crosses the age of 35 years. The survey also identified hypertension, digestive disease, and diabetes as the three top NCDs, and suggested that the prevalence of having any NCD among the population is 116 per 1000 population in India. Odisha has the highest prevalence of NCDs (272 per 1000 population) while Gujarat registered lowest prevalence (60 per 1000 population). Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal also have higher prevalence than the national average. This necessitates state-specific strategies to tackle the NCDs.
PCI-India is collaborating with the health department of the Government of Odisha to support communities to minimize the risk of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) with a focus on Hypertension and Diabetes in four districts of Odisha. The project is focused on creating a community-based screening and referral model leveraging community institutions for health education on hypertension and diabetes and improving access to services and treatment provided by the government. The project plans to utilize the coverage of community institutions for health education on NCDs, establish community-level mechanisms for screening and referrals, monitor the conditions of patients with hypertension and diabetes, and improve referral and access to health services. It will cover three aspirational districts (Kandhamal, Koraput, Nuapada) of Odisha.
About the Assignment
Project Concern International is looking to hire two district mobilizers to implement the project operationalization. S/he will be accountable for the delivery of project outcomes, foster partnership with the government health system and other stakeholders at the block level, implement innovative ideas to promote awareness on symptoms and possible preventions, and pursue program growth opportunities.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Collaborate with the NCD departments and MOICs of all the blocks
S/he will facilitate convergence at the block and sub-center level in identified touchpoints
Implement innovative ideas for the promotion of symptoms and possible prevention
Capacity building of the NCD Mitras and ASHAs for screening and referrals
Maintain all the project-linked MIS and information
Work closely with the block level staff of various government departments
Any other work assigned by the supervisor
Qualification
Graduate degree in Public Health, Rural development, or any other relevant fields
Experience
A minimum of 1+ years of relevant professional experience in public health
Experience in designing and executing community-based program
Skills and Competencies
Understanding of the development sector
Action-oriented and adaptable
Strong networking and relationship-building skills
Ability to work against tight timelines
Excellent knowledge of MS office
Fluency in verbal and written English, Hindi, and Oriya
Willingness to travel to the field and support interventions