Community and non-profit organisations function with the idea that the people can be trained and involved in primary health care system. The concept of community participation is contained in national health policy. The broad areas of community participation at grass roots level are seen in the village health services scheme, the Anganwadi scheme of Indian Community Development Scheme (ICDS), and the formation of village level committees.
SEWA in Ahmedabad and ACCORD in Nilgiris are examples of some NGOs working in India to build alternate health care services for their members and give low-cost care to people from nearby villages. Community action has also been successfully used in disease control programmes such as malaria and in areas like provision and maintenance of drinking water schemes and sanitation. Kashtakari Sangathan is an example of a rural organisation in Thane, Maharashtra, where women health workers are trained to treat simple illnesses at minimal cost.
The main constraint to community action is the low priority given to health by the community in contrast to schemes that provide direct financial benefit.