CHAD (Community Health and Development)

CHAD is our equivalent of Family medicine. It is a multifaceted approach to community medicine that is broad spectrum and community based. It is also integrates a Public health approach to medicine that includes community health education, disease prevention, and many social aspects of health.

I attended CHAD ward rounds. This community hospital is a secondary health care facility where the residents are trained to care from people from birth to death. It is a practical approach to community health, especially in an 'international health' environment. By that, I mean that there is a clear integration of maternal & child health. Women are mostly accessing the health system in regards to reproductive issues and women's health is primarily a function of obstetric care.

The family outreach center has social workers who work with community members on developing health relationships, creating culturally appropriate approaches to health care, and provide community health education. There was a poster on "How to have a health marriage" and another poster depicting X & Y chromosomes with the message about how it is the Male who determines a baby's gender. This is clearly an effort to curb female infanticide and perhaps alter the family dynamics when gender becomes an issue.

Within CHAD, there are opportunities for people in the community to work. Community members can contribute by sewing gowns for the hospital, doing manual labor to build new structures, and help distribute supplies throughout the system. It is interesting to see little old ladies in their saris carrying bricks and digging holes!

I find myself very drawn to the women and children. In this environment (and in many environments) it definitely makes sense to have the continuity of care where women can come for health care and have their children receive health care as well.