APPNA SEHAT is a subsidiary of APPNA i.e., Association of Physicians of Pakistani decent of North America and got registered with Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under section 42 of companies ordinance 1984 on 28th March 2005. The main purpose of APPNA SEHAT was to develop a low cost model which could address health and related problems effectively and efficiently and to implement practically low cost primary health care projects based on the model for poor and marginalized segments of rural communities. APPNA appointed a team of health experts to investigate the health situation in Pakistan.

The team suggested a Health Education based low cost practical model for rural communities. The approach is aiming at behavioral changes through education, guidance and capacity building through trainings. The proposed model of self-help is a process of transformation of marginalized, un-served, and looking for ‘dole-outs’ communities into effective, independent, self-sustaining communities, meeting most of their needs especially the primary health care needs.

APPNA, on the basis of their recommendations, launched a Primary Health Care program called SEHAT (Scientific Educational Health Administrative Training) for rural communities. The rationale of the program is based on people are the best judge of their issues and problems and know solutions better than anybody else they need to be guided and be empowered through capacity building trainings.

The model was pilot tested from 1989 to 1992 in four topographically and culturally diverse areas of Pakistan from mountains of NWFP through hills and planes of Punjab to deserts of Sindh.

APPNA SEHAT launched its first ever Primary Health Care project in 1989 as pilot project with 16,357 people living in 2,200 households of 15 villages at four places Mardan, Murree, Sahiwal and Badin.

Nevertheless, there was a lot to learn and more to attain to enrich our archives of experiences, and fortunately during its toiling of 15 years, APPNA SEHAT has mounted up tremendous experiences.

APPNA SEHAT has clear policy of graduation out, which is the premise of the program, all those units which were on APPNA SEHAT financial support for more than three years or more, have been graduated out. The finances so spared will be used to include new communities waiting for technical and social guidance to improve their life style. So far 37 units at all locations have been graduated out of program and added 16 new communities.

APPNA SEHAT- Salient features

Uniqueness of the project