Primary Health Care (PHC) approach introduced in 1991 in KNU areas. However, due to military offensive destroyed most of healthcare infrastructure. To be in line with the political context, KDHW has restructured it service health care model from Station Health Facilities to Mobile Health Care Program (MHCP). In 2012, the opportunity of peace process has come across and the Bi-literal Ceasefire Agreement has able to made between Burma Army and Karen National Liberation Army. So, the Mobile Health Care Program (MHCP) was upgraded to Village Tract Health Centre (VTHC) based on the stability of political condition.
Village Tract Health Center (VTHC) program is providing essential health services including primary health care in both preventive and curative care. The objective of the primary health care is to reduce the morbidity, mortality and common diseases among population living in hard to reach and conflict effected areas and improve the performance of the health system by lowering overall health care expenditure while improving population health and access.
KDHW currently operates around 77 VTHCs in seven KNU administrative districts. Each VTHC covered approximately 1500 to 3500 population with total eight health workers which mean one health worker serve 333 population in average according to World Health Organization (WHO). For village and outreach level 5 to 10 VHW and TTBA are recruited base on the population coverage. Under primary health care unit of VTHC, core health workers are Medic, Emergency Obstetric Care worker, Maternal and Child Health Worker and Community Health Worker.
For village or outreach level, Villager Health Worker (VHWs) and Trained Traditional Birth Attendant (TTBAs) are integrated. Basic on the needs, specialize health workers were recruited such as eyes care and dental care health workers etc. Services provided at VTHCs includes;
- Case-management, stabilization and referral for common endemic diseases (General Outpatient Care and Temporary Inpatient Bed
- Facility based Maternal and Child Health services (AN care, PN care & Normal delivery), outreach and supervision of Trained Traditional Birth Attendants (TTBA).
- Outreach for health campaigns and complex case.
- Basic surgical
- Emergency service
- School Health