Networking

Networking is a social technology built on trust, bringing people and organizations together either to share information in common fields of interest and in achieving a common goal. The key elements that constitute are coming together, sharing experience, common goal and objectives , free flow of information and individual autonomy.

OVHA stands for its wide health network through its actions in the state Orissa. The methods adopted in its process of networking though conventional in nature still the steps are quite effective in its outcome. The meetings and exchange of dialogues with key government health officials, funding agencies, international action groups yield good results in a fruitful manner.

To further strengthen the networking process OVHA has formed five Regional Representation Committees in five regions of the state to help facilitate the process of Networking more effectively through its regular meetings with these RRCs.

These RRCs are based on Zones, viz,

Lobby & Advocacy

Lobby and advocacy at different levels are one of the in-built mechanisms of OVHA in ful-filling its long cherished goal. Lobby is done basically to highlight the emerging issues related to health problems faced at community level. OVHA put its best effort to mobilize the resources as per the health needs of the people. Besides the above, efforts are being made to highlight and table the issues related to health among National and International Bodies.

Advocacy activities of OVHA had enormous impact in its overall initiatives. Not only member organisations of OVHA, public at large have been able to internalise various health issues, which in turn have facilitated the process of healthy living in the community. These advocacy activities are mainly undertaken by organising workshops, seminars, symposia, meetings etc. The issues advocated are:

• Community Health.
• Reproductive & Child Health.
• Life style related diseases.
• Holistic Health.
• Panchayatiraj and Health.
• Environment and Health.
• School Health.
• Indian System of Medicine .
• Challenges before health NGOs.
• Health for All .
• GO & NGO relationship.
• HIV/AIDS/STD.
• Reproductive and Sexual Health.
• Communicable diseases.
• Water borne diseases etc.
• Gender and health.
• Adolescent health.