Arogya Parivar works to provide health care to the millions of Indians living in remote villages by expanding their access to affordable products, improved health infrastructure and community education.
**Education** Arogya Parivar conducts health education programs at the grassroots level. The program emphasizes patient education and local capacity building to ensure long-term success. Health educators, usually local women, are recruited and trained to raise awareness about diseases and preventive health measures, while health supervisors serve as the initiative's sales force, working to ensure that medicines are available in the most remote locations. These educators are trusted by the community and build lasting bonds with the families. **Accessibility** Since villagers often perceive medical care as being expensive and inaccessible, medicines are available in small packs at affordable prices. Sales supervisors serve as the initiative's local sales force. They interact with local pharmacies and collaborate with doctors, hospitals and NGOs to organize health camps where villagers can receive treatment and preventive care. **Scope** Operating in 10 states across India, the program's product portfolio has grown to cover 11 therapeutic areas and offers nearly 80 pharmaceutical, generic and over-the-counter products as well as vaccines to treat and prevent conditions ranging from tuberculosis and diabetes to pain and colds. To be included in the portfolio, products need to be simple to use and tailored to meet the needs of rural populations with a low disposable income, usually earned on a daily basis. All educational materials, product packaging and training are adapted to local conditions, and medicines are available in small packs at affordable prices. **Sustainability** Arogya Parivar is a commercially sustainable program. It achieved break-even within 30 months, and since 2007, sales have increased 25-fold. Given Arogya Parivar’s success in India, Novartis has implemented a similar model in Kenya, Vietnam, and will soon replicate it in Indonesia. Scale: 11 States, 181 Districts, 257 Cells, 33,000 Villages, 24,000 doctors, 24,000 Pharmacies.
