M. Sharma et G. Bhatia, THE VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY-HEALTH MOVEMENT IN INDIA - A STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS (SWOT) ANALYSIS, Journal of community health, 21(6), 1996, pp. 453-464
There has been a prolific growth of voluntary organizations in India s
ince independence in 1947. One of the major areas of this growth has b
een in the field of community health. The purpose of this article is t
o historically trace the voluntary movement in community health in Ind
ia, analyze the current status, and predict future trends of voluntary
efforts. A review of the literature in the form of a Strengths, Weakn
esses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was the method of th
is study. Some of the key trends which emerged as the priority areas f
or progress and for strengthening voluntary organizations in the futur
e were enhancing linkages between health and development; building upo
n collective force; greater utilization of participatory training; est
ablishing egalitarian and effectual linkages for decision making at th
e international level; developing self-reliant community-based models;
and the need for attaining holistic empowerment at individual, organi
zational, and community levels through ''duty consciousness'' as oppos
ed to merely asking for rights.