RUHSA – Rural Unit for Health & Social Affairs
The Rural Unit for Health & Social Affairs (RUHSA) is an integral part of CMC’s Community Outreach. RUHSA works with the communities of K.V.Kuppam to improve their health status through socio-economic development. RUHSA is one of CMC’s campuses and lies 25km west-north-west of Vellore.
RUHSA’s health care system aims to take care of everyone in the community from “womb to tomb”. The primary level of care is done by nurses and doctors through Sub-Centres and Mobile Community Clinics. Local Family Care Volunteers and Health Aides support the care for vulnerable groups like women, children, elderly and those with chronic illnesses.
Secondary or hospital care
The secondary level care is provided by a 70 bed RUHSA base Hospital. Here both free and subsidised care is available. Specialty clinics are held regularly in RUHSA and, when needed, patients are referred to CMC’s Main Town Campus for higher levels of tertiary care.
Focusing on the most vulnerable, RUSHA has a Community Nutrition programme focusing on children under the age of 5 year. Pachaikilli Play Cente is a space where children learn through play. They interact with grandparents in the Elderly Care Centres. All people with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, kidney diseases etc closely monitored. Patients with HIV are supported through counselling and treatments.
Economic Development & Training
RUSHA supports economic development through women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and farmers clubs. The Community College offers unemployed youth a chance at vocational training and skill development.
The experiences at RUHSA are shared through training programmes and courses including the BSc Medical Sociology and PG Diploma courses in health management and administration. Various short term courses include the training of Primary Health Workers, mid-level health and development workers and medical professionals.