Customized Development Interventions for the Ultra Poor: Preliminary Change Assessments of Health and Health-seeking Behaviour (CFPR/TUP 2002 to 2004)

A mid-term survey of the CFPR/TUP programme participants (at the end of 1st cycle of 18 months intervention) on health and related issues was done during July-September 2004. The survey involved re-interviewing the same baseline survey households for studying the effects of intervention over time. Findings revealed substantial improvement in self-rated food-security status and perceived self-health among programme participants which was matched by improved household capacity for health-expenditure and food consumption. Improvement was observed in children’s nutritional status, and use of contraceptives. Morbidity profile varied little during the two surveys. Increased healthseeking for illnesses occurred during the study period, while gender inequity in healthseeking from qualified providers persisted. The ‘para-professionals’ emerged as one of the major provider of healthcare to the poor. Potential ‘health empowerment’ effect of CFPR/TUP interventions was noted (e.g., increase in knowledge about locally available healthcare, increase in treatment-seeking from formal providers, etc.). [Working Paper Series No. 7]