Green Star Program (GSP)

Green Star: An Innovative Approach to Engage Medicine and Health Product Seller in Delivering Primary Healthcare Services

Green Star Providers (GSPs) are part of an effective and innovative network of SMC to ensure minimum primary health care service through them. The GSPs are the medicine and public health products sellers of the community. In many cases, they are the primary contact for public health services at the community level. Depending on their locations, GSPs often act as point-of-contact for people seeking remedies for minor ailments, such as diarrhea, cough, fever, weakness, helminthiasis, etc.

Green Star Program was initiated in 2018. Initially the program engaged them to administer follow-up doses of injectable contraceptive services and to provide nutritional counselling to caregivers/mothers of children under five. They promote rational use of drugs as well.

GSPs now refer suspected TB cases and potential Long-Acting and Permanent Method (LAPM) clients to the nearest service delivery center. They also provide counselling to the pregnant mothers for taking ANC services, institutional delivery and promote use of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements among pregnant mothers.

Selection criteria for Green Star Providers include minimum SSC level education, a pharmacy with a separate space for counselling and services, has female and child client flow, valid drug license, at least two years of business experience, and willingness to attend training programs of SMC.

SMC provides two-days long basic training to the GSPs, using a comprehensive training curriculum on specific public health issues such as, injectable contraceptives, necessary messages on nutrition for children under five, management of TB cases, counselling skills for pregnant mothers, benefits of consumption of zinc and rational use of drugs etc. They also undergo refresher training to resolve various kinds of problems they face during the service delivery at their facilities. SMC personnel, mostly Program Officers periodically visit the GSP outlets and provide on-site technical assistance to improve their knowledge and skills.