Implement the “Healthy Village” in Maan Village in Rural China

Remote rural communities are often more vulnerable to health risk and have worse health outcomes than urban population. Whilst World Health Organization’s “Healthy Village” initiatives have been implemented in Africa and Eastern Mediterranean region, no experience has been reported in the Western Pacific region or in China. A health need assessment was carried out in March 2009 to identify health needs and for situation analysis at Maan Village of Xinan Township at Hiuli County, Liangshan, Sichuan. Findings indicated the ethnic minority population in the area had poor health outcomes and knowledge of general health awareness and behavior practices when compared with provincial levels. The project adopted the USDHHS 2001 Health communities planning framework to guide the development of a WHO Healthy Village SWOT analysis and 2x2 prioritization matrix were also used for program planning. This project had two main components: “Physical Environment” and “Behavior, Practices and health knowledge”. The project took advantage of the unique opportunity of post disaster housing reconstruction and the availability of additional local manpower due to the returned migrant workers from urban unemployment (economic crisis). A plan of action ranges from building houses with “healthy living” design to health education activities was formulated and implemented between October 2009 to March 2010. Upon completion, the project was evaluated for its impact in March 2011. In addition to improving health outcomes of population in Maan Village, the project model also serves as an example for other projects that support public health programs in rural settings as well as remote rural community who attempt to capitalize reconstruction efforts to improve health outcomes post disaster in China.