Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Association for Health Welfare in the Nilgiris (Ashwini)

last updated Sep 27, 2011

Overview

Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
1992
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
20-60% (lower to lower-middle)

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor
Additional Source(s) of Funding: 
Government
Funders: 
Government of Tamilnadu, Sir Ratan Tata Trust

Scale

Number of Facilities Operated/Networked: 
1 hospital; 8 sub-centers
Upscaling: 
Five thousand individuals insured in 1992, compared to over 13,000 in 2002
Summary: 

ASHWINI (Association for Health Welfare in the Nilgiris) is a Charitable Organisation providing comprehensive health care to one of the most neglected sections of Indian society - the Adivasis, a group that primarily inhabits the tri-junction of the South Indian States of Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

Key program components: 

Started as a small community health program primarily targeted at training tribal women on feminine and child care issues, ASHWINI grew into an organization comprising of a 20 bedded hospital and 8 Sub-Centers, owned and managed by the people themselves.

Insurance Scheme: The main objective of the ASHWINI insurance scheme is to break the financial barrier of the adivasi families at the time of illness. "Our challenge was to encourage them to plan ahead and save something for the possible event of sickness in the future. For a community, eking out a day-to-day existence, this was a radical change. Saving for the future itself was a new thing - leave alone for their health needs." Partnering with enterprising officers of the New India Assurance Company, ASHWINI designed an insurance package which addressed the specific health needs of the adivasis. The composite tribal group insurance scheme was launched in 1992. For a premium of Rs.15 per person per year, hospitalization expenses up to Rs.1500 would be reimbursed by the insurance company. The Adivasi Munnetra Sangam, the parent organization of ASHWANI that advocates for Adivasi rights, decided to insure all its members, about 5000 individuals in 1992. By 2002, the number has risen to 13000s as new villages and members join the AMS.

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