Vadu Rural Health Program
Director:Dr. Siddhivinayak Hirve
Dr. Banoo Coyaji always believed that medical science must bring benefits not only to the urban population,
but also to the rural community at large. In the late 1960s she realized the need to take medical care to the rural areas.
Thus was born the Vadu Hospital that today services 22 villages and a population of 68,000 people.
The Vadu Rural Health Program (commonly referred to as the Vadu Project) is Dr. Banoo Coyaji's vision of KEM
Hospital - as an urban based, apex, tertiary care center - providing medical and health services to an
underprivileged, rural population in the district of Pune.
Vadu Project is a not-for-profit organization which integrates a multi-disciplinary approach to extending quality health
care to an under-privileged rural population in a tripartiate partnership with the Zillha Parishad and state
Government, Which is Probably the longest Lasting Public private mix ongoing in the country today.
The Vadu Rural Health Program(VRHP) is an unique experiment in public-private partnership between a NGO
(KEM Hospital,Pune), the District Government (Zillah Parishad,Pune) and the State (Health Services), Government
of Maharashtra initiated in 1976 to innovate health care delivery to a population of 68,000 over 22 villages in
rural Pune District in Western India. Using a 3-tier approach, the Vadu Rural Health Program provides primary
health care through its Outreach Program and mandates the implementation of all National Health Programs.
Vadu Demographic Surveillance System (Vadu DSS)
Vadu Rural Health Program (VRHP) formerly known as Vadu Project is in place for more than three decades.
Till very recent years Vadu relied on the service statistics for demographic data of this area. In July 2002 a
“surveillance project” was initiated. This surveillance project was renamed as the “Vadu Demographic Surveillance
System” abbreviated to “Vadu DSS”.
Goals of Vadu DSS
1)Technical collaboration and financial support to establish an experimental field station to systematically
test new family planning/ reproductive health care models.
2)Capacity building in the form of collaborative research and advanced training at Johns Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health.
3)Regional networking with other organizations for sharing technical skills and experiences.
4)Dissemination of research findings and their translation into public policy and programs.
To Know More: Visit http://www.kemhospitalvadu.org