Healthcare

This intervention is carried out at the following locations:

Burnpur

Shamayita  Math  has  been  a  partner  to  IISCO  Steel  Plant, Burnpur  in  fulfilling  its mission  to provide medical and health care in  26  villages  on  the  outskirts  of  Burnpur , West  Bengal.  This project  on  providing  health  care  service  through  mobile dispensary  has  stepped  into  its  third  year  and  started  from January,  2012. On  an  average  1,000  patients  are  provided treatment  through  24  clinics  in  a  month  with  the  help  of experienced MBBS doctors, trained technician along with facility of   medicine  and laboratory tests.  Also services   were   provided  in  a  more focused manner  in the  seven  model  villages  of  ISP.  The children  who  have dropped  out   of  immunization  are being  identified

through  survey  and special efforts are made to ensure immunization of the drop outs in ISP Hospital. Also children of the

primary  schools of  the model  villages are being covered  under  school  health  program,  where awareness  is  created  among  the  students  on different aspects of health.

Durgapur

Medical  service  is also provided  through mobile dispensary  to  four  villages  around  Durgapur namely Akandara  Bauripara, Akandara Adivasi para, Kantaberia Bauri para, Kantaberia Adivasi Para on  fortnightly basis  under CSR program of Durgapur Steel Plant.

Under CSR  program  of Great  Eastern  Energy Company  Ltd.  (GEECL),  a private company based  in Asansol, mobile medical camps are held  in villages under Saltora block of Bankura district and villages on  the outskirts of Asansol town. In  30 medical  camps  held  during  2011-12  and  through  a  set  of experienced MBBS doctors and paramedical staff treatment  is provided  to  the villagers at  their door  step.

Dantewada

In Dantewada, Chattisgarh  the villagers were dependent mostly on  traditional practitioners and faith healers.   'Hospital on Wheels' -   the mobile medical service housed in   2 Swaraj Mazda vehicle equipped with instant live saving gadgets along with Doctors and Paramedics & medicines, moves to villages as per their fixed schedule and provides health services at the doorstep of tribal  families.

Services at a glance

• Out  Patients  Treatment  to  26,821 patients during FY 2011-12
• Weekly  service on planned  schedule, minimum one halt  in small villages and 6-7 halts  in big  villages
• Health  education  towards  health seeking behavior , hygiene, sanitation Health  camps organized
• Occasional  coordination  meeting with Govt. health  functionaries
• Referral of serious patients  in NMDCHospital

Bankura

Health Education

Six  months  training  course  on  Health  Worker  was provided to 50 rural girls of the locality in two batches. The course was affiliated to West Bengal State Council of  Vocational  Education  and  Training.  Training  was provided  to 20  ladies of  the  locality on  three months course on “Aid to Nurse' under the financial support of Cap Foundation. Also 3 months  training on  'Care Giver' course was provided  through RUDSETI  to  20  trainees.

Improving nutrition  in  young  children

In India the death of every second child below 5 years of age is attributed to under nutrition. In West Bengal every second child (below 3 years age) suffers from some  form of malnourishment. To  reduce  the prevalence of under nutrition among children the Positive Deviance   (PD) was launched by the district and Shamayita Math was entrusted with the responsibility of executing the project in eight blocks of Bankura Sadar Sub-division, namely Gangajalghati, Bankura-I, Bankura-II,  Onda,  Saltora,  Chhatna,  Barjora  and  Mejia.  The  project  was executed during  the period May-December , 2012.

Objectives

• Identification of malnutrition among  children
• Rehabilitation of moderate and severely malnourished children  to higher nutritional grades
• Sustaining normal grade of nutrition  for all  children

Specific activities  include

1. Block  level  Sensitization programme with officials from  ICDS  and Health  personnel  and  PRI members, BDOs, SDO etc.
2. Capacity building of  community
3. PD  training  was  provided  to  1204  Anganwadi Workers  (AWW)   taking one f rom each center except the  centers  where PD  has  been  already  initiated earlier.
4. Nutrition Counseling and Child Care Session  (NCCS) was started in 1026 (including 321 centres where PD was initiated 2 years  ago)  number  of  centres    which  is  a  12  days monthly session of spot feeding at AWCs, followed by 18 days home- based practice on  child  feeding and  care
5. Handholding support at AWC level for implementation and monitoring of  activities:  Community  mobilization,  counseling and demonstration at  AWC level,  involving  SHGs  in  the process.
6. Data analyzing and data  sharing:  strengthening existing  ICDS services and coverage through data sharing at Block, GP Level meeting.
7. Identification of severely undernourished children at community level and tracking  of  children  and  making  malnutrition  visible  to  the  families  and community  through  weighing  of  children  and  using  colour-coded charts, maps and other  tools

Study  of  the  data  collected  on  weighing  efficiency  and  percentage  of moderate and  severe  children  reveal  the  following

a)  There was a gradual increase in the weighing efficiency of the children from  the month of  July  to December , 2012

b) There was a gradual decrease in moderately and severely malnourished children from the month of July to December ,

2012

This  project  improved  community  level  child care practices and brought about behavioral change in care givers of children below three years.  Major  focus  has  been  vested  on handholding  support  to  AWCs  and  close monitoring  on  beneficiaries.  Mobilizing community resources was an important aspect  of  the program.