HEALTH 2015 - 16 · 2016. 7. 1. · India is experiencing a rapid health transition. We are confronted by a host of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, nutritional deficiencies,

MUMBAI • DELHI HYDERABAD • BENGALURU • KOLKATA • CHENNAI • PUNE

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HEALTH2015 - 16

India is experiencing a rapid health transition. We are confronted by a host of infectious diseases, non-

communicable diseases, nutritional deficiencies, unsafe pregnancies etc. This composite threat to the nation’s

health and development needs a concerted public health response that can ensure efficient delivery of cost-

effective interventions for health promotion, disease prevention and affordable diagnostic and therapeutic

health care.

The Health Care Programme supported by Concern India Foundation has directly impacted 70,876 lives

through a range of services and health care facilities. Our programmes work with the elderly, women, children,

the mentally and physically challenged, alcohol addicts, victims of drug abuse, the hearing impaired, those

suffering from chronic illness and the community at large belonging to the most susceptible sections of the

society. We support people across India through our offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai,

Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Our efforts have proven successful in contributing towards qualitative health care services catering to a large

section of society.

A brief description of some of the health programmes supported by us:

MUMBAI

Auditory-Verbal Therapy For Children With Hearing Impairment

Most hearing impaired children have some amount of residuary hearing. This programme works with the

Auditory Verbal Therapy Approach (AVT), which is a specialized type of therapy designed to teach deaf

children to listen and speak, using their residual hearing. This is in addition to the constant use of amplification

devices such as hearing aids, FM devices and cochlear implants. AVT emphasises speech and listening and

discourages reliance on visual communications such as lip reading or sign language.

AVT facilitates the integration of children into society as they pick up language skills and are able to listen

and speak effectively.

One of the main objectives of the organisation is the integration of the children into regular schools. They

provide opportunities to the hearing impaired children to develop their speech and language and give them

exposure to various learning opportunities.

A highlight of this program is the role of the parents through the entire therapy. The organization believes

that since the parents are the first source of learning for the children, the parents are in a better position to

monitor the progress of the child. They conduct regular trainings to upgrade the professional skills of the staff

and improve outcomes using new techniques.

Child Malnutrition Prevention And Control

The programme caters to the health needs of children of rag-pickers and women working on waste dumping

grounds located in Deonar. The periphery of the dumping ground is home to the slum areas of Rafiq

Nagar, Shivaji Nagar and Baiganwadi .Those living in the nearby slums are exposed to several health

problems due to their proximity to

the city’s decomposing waste. Rat

bites, dog bites, infections to small

injuries, viral fever, scabies, rashes,

asthma, bronchitis, hay fever and

malaria are common ailments in the

area. The children pick up objects

in the landfill site and play in the

water, oblivious of the toxins and

chemicals they are touching.

The programme works towards

ensuring a disease free childhood

for a healthy and responsible

adulthood. Their twin missions are

to fight for an anemia free world

for the children, and to sensitize

adolescents on their reproductive

rights and sexual health. With the

help of dedicated staff and medical

student volunteers, the programme

has developed systems for

assessment of malnourishment

among young children at the

beginning and end of the academic

year - to understand the change in malnourishment status. This also helped to evolve more appropriate

strategies to work with children, teachers and parents.

A comprehensive package of child nutrition programme based on WHO Guidelines has been finalized.

The interventions are done in 3 phases i.e. through 3 intervention camps. It starts with an assessment of

nutritional status of the balwadi children, treatment of malnutrition, deworming, provision of Vitamin A, Iron and

Folic Acid (IFA) and micronutrient supplements, promoting

dietary modification for the child and family. It ends with a

nutritional status evaluation of each child and is sustained

in the form of information provided to teachers and mothers

of pre-school/ balwadi children. A teachers’ sensitization

programme has been developed to encourage them to

support the programme. Health checkups are conducted

in the community and in the schools through a mobile

van in order to treat common ailments and to screen the

children for congenital health conditions. Further, anaemia

and malnutrition is evaluated by doctors and accordingly

nutritional supplements are prescribed as well. Appropriate

referrals are made for further follow up based on the initial

diagnosesSimilarly, Information Education Communication

(IEC) materials have been developed and traditional as well

as innovative community occasions are being utilized to

get the participation of families and teachers in the nutrition

programme.

The programme also reaches out to many more families in the slums through health checkup camps,

awareness programmes on immunization, nutritional needs of young children, balanced meal in tiffin box for

children, infectious diseases and care of children, hygiene and sanitation and prevention of ill health.

DELHI

Residential De - Addiction Centre For Men With Substance Abuse

Drug or substance abuse has various economic, social, psychological and cultural consequences.

This programme adopts a two pronged approach, first by providing de-addiction and treatment services

through a residential centre in Delhi and second by sensitizing the communities through various awareness

camps in different locations in Delhi. The programme caters to people who are addicted to any form of

substance abuse like ganja, charas, opium, prescription drugs, brown sugar, heroin and alcohol. Its mission

is to integrate drug addicts into a stable environment so that they can lead normal lives and carry out

activities for their daily living in the mainstream society.

The programme has a holistic approach that focuses on overall development of mental and physical health

in a stress free environment. Programme uses naturopathy, which is an alternative form of medicine that

consists of treatment using natural ingredients. This is done through homeopathy, herbalism and acupuncture,

as well as diet and lifestyle counseling. It is non-invasive form of treatment and the use of medicinal drugs

is avoided. Ayurveda and yoga are also practiced for the mental well-being of the addict. This enables

the project to provide cost effective treatment to the beneficiaries without having any side effects on the

beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries are required to attend various sessions and perform different tasks at the centre. Towards

the end of the treatment duration, the addict develops a positive attitude and becomes responsible towards

other people and the surroundings. The family members are sensitized in order to ensure that there are

minimal chances of relapse due to adjustment problems once the addict returns back to the family.

To sensitize the community about the ill effects of drug abuse, the programme conducts various awareness

camps in different areas.

The programme follows a systematic approach in the overall treatment. It starts with Pre admission

counselling of drug addicts and their families so as to familiarize both the patient and the family about the

treatment process. After which Treatment services to the addicts starts which is called Lotus Programme,

derived out of already prevalent rehabilitation treatment philosophies from across the world. The duration of

the programme is 6 months. Various services and activities are carried out under Lotus Programme such as

one on one counselling of addicts, group counselling sessions, group therapy, reflection sessions wherein

they share with other addicts about their experiences of being an addict, challenges faced by them and their

families. The beneficiaries are required to attend various sessions and perform different tasks at the centre.

The duty roster is maintained at the centre wherein the task of each addict is mentioned against his name.

The addict is evaluated by his peer, also an addict, on the task performed. This gives a sense of ownership

to both when he carries out any task and towards the addict who evaluates. Towards the end of the treatment

duration the addict develops a positive attitude and becomes responsible as well towards other people and

the surroundings. The family members are sensitized in order to ensure that there are minimal chances of

relapse due to adjustment problems once the addict returns back to the family.

Community Eye Care

One out of every three blind people in the world lives in India - an estimated 15 million blind people live in

India. (http://www.b-einc.com/bfi/

facts.html)

Prevalence of blindness is very

high in rural and backward areas

of India. Corneal blindness

accounts for 25% of 1.5 crore blind

in the country. Infections, injuries,

malnutrition, degenerations and

dystrophies are important causes

of corneal blindness (as quoted

by the Times of India dated

August 27, 2012). A large part of blindness in India is preventable and some of it (like corneal blindness) is

reversible. This also makes it addressable given the right focus, resources and execution

The programme aims to minimise eye care problems and address eye infections at a preliminary stage.

It focuses on preventable blindness through treatment of cataract, refractive error, corneal blindness and

glaucoma. It reaches out to the most disadvantaged sections in rural areas of Haryana where health as

an issue is never prioritized and preventive health care remains out of question. The programme through

its outreach centers provides free eye care services, spectacles and facilitates cataract operations. The

process of intervention starts with identifying the patients through various outreach centers in rural and

urban areas of Haryana. After which the process of assessment, diagnosis and treatment is carried out

by the optometrist at the centers. The eye ailments that cannot be treated at the outreach centre level are

referred to the base hospital in Gurgaon. If necessary, cataract and retinal correction surgeries are carried

out to treat the patients.

Residential Home For The Abandoned Elderly

This programme provides for residential facilities, basic day to day requirements, medical and emotional

needs of the neglected and abandoned elderly in Badarpur, Delhi. Most of them are suffering from critical

aliments such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The home serves around 125 senior citizens.

The programme identifies and brings the elderly to the old age home from roadsides, temples, railway

platforms, and hospitals after they receive information about them. Some cases are referred by police

stations. In some cases, these elderly do not remember their name and their family; where- as in many

cases their families have abandoned them at the centre or they were abused at the hands of their children,

therefore decided to voluntarily leave them. The programme provides the elderly with free boarding, lodging,

clothing and required medical assistance. It also facilitates recreation for the elderly by celebrating certain

festivals, and conducting bhajans and kirtans in the mornings. The organisation also has a 24 hour helpline

number which can be contacted to pick up sick elderly from the streets.

BENGALURU

Health Screening Programme For Underprivileged Women With A Special Focus On Cervical,

Breast Cancer & Life Style Diseases

Community outreach program is an important vehicle for reducing the discovery-delivery disconnect by

bringing health, education and health screening services directly to community members. A majority of

women in urban slums and rural areas have poor or no access to cervical & breast cancer screening as well

as lifestyle diseases screening services. Cervical cancer has a major impact on women’s lives worldwide

and one in every five women suffering from cervical cancer belongs to India.

The project aims at

providing knowledge to

underprivileged women

regarding these diseases

and provides for screening

services, treatment and

care through medical

service provider networks.

The project is an innovative

doc-in-a-box health

solution developed for low

literacy population and

community health workers.

It conducts specialized

community based screening camps in the urban slums and rural areas of Bangalore, to increase health

awareness. The programme also conducts specialized screening camps for other health problems such as

hyper tension, diabetes etc

The project team collaborates with Bangalore Municipal Corporation for space and resources to conduct

camps and carry out referrals and follow-ups.

Screenings for breast and cervical cancer is conducted which is followed-up by the treatment of malignant

cases in government hospitals. Thus along with awareness, detection, treatment and care the project also

tries to ensure reduced mortality in women belonging to the underserved communities.

Home for Neglected Aged Women

Approximately 40% of senior citizens living with their families face abuse of one kind or another. Many of the

elderly suffer in silence as they fear humiliation or are too scared to speak up. The phenomenon of ‘grand

dumping’ is becoming common in urban areas these days as children are being increasingly intolerant of

their parents’ health problems. The situation for the elderly belonging to the underprivileged communities is

even more alarming.

The project is focused on serving the helpless aged women who are neglected by society. The project is a

residential home for the aged.

It aims to provide for safety, comfort, care and attention for the senior citizens. It reaches out to helpless aged

women and enables them to live their last days of life with happiness and dignity. The programme provides

them with all basic necessities of life for their survival along with healthy food, naturopathy treatment and

regular meditation to ensure comprehensive and quality care to the resident senior citizens

Rehabilitation And Reconstruction Centre For Burn Victims

Burn injuries in India are a result of poor socio-economic conditions, caused by open cooking fires, cheap

synthetic garments and very poor awareness of fire and electricity safety. Reconstructive plastic surgery for

correction of deformities is a huge requirement both in children and adults in India.

The project is a step towards revolutionizing burns care for the poor and the underprivileged. The project is

one-of-its-kind in the state that reaches out to burn victims from the lower economic strata by addressing

the issue of burn incidents caused by deliberate acts such as violence or suicidal attempts due to inability

to cope with stress and alcoholic partners or sheer poverty, difficult circumstances, failed love relationship,

failure in exams etc.

Burn victims carry a low priority on the government agenda and the resources available with the government

and private hospitals to treat burn victims are meager. The burn victims suffer from trauma that requires

constant counseling and support. The project’s primary objective has been to go beyond medical and para-

medical services, and facilitate a process of comprehensive rehabilitation for the burn victims.

The project identifies burn survivors, develops networks, and provides home based care, reconstructive

surgeries and offers rehabilitative counselling to the victims and their families to develop a positive outlook

towards life and integrate them back into mainstream society.

The project conducts sensitization workshops for school children and in the project working areas on handling

fire related accidents. The project also offers short stay facilities to severely burnt cases

HYDERABAD

Health Centre For Children Affected With Thalassemia

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. Statistics reveal that in India thalassaemia major affects over

1,00,000 people and over 8,000 reported thalassaemia births take place every year. (www.indianredcross.

org) Thalassemia is widespread in the region of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh.

This centre was established by parents and philanthropists in 1998 and has made great advancement in

transfusion services. The programme has a prescribed format for individual patient’s care history containing

details of patients, disease status, family details etc. All the details of the patient’s medical history are

recorded. They currently have information on 2040 patients.

The standard treatment

for thalassemia involves:

• Blood transfusions

• Iron chelating therapy

• Folic acid

supplements

• Safe blood

transfusions

The programme also:

• Counsels and educates

thalassemics

• Educates families about

the management of

thalassemia

• Aims to create better facilities for transfusion, treatment and prevention.

The programme also informs the patients about their medical checkups. The patients’ files are updated

along with the reports of clinical assessments. This helps in determination of the health status of the patients

The programme conducts multi-organ screening camps to know the patient’s medical history. Multi- specialty

doctors like Endocrinologists, Cardiologists, Hematologists, Dentists, Pediatricians and Ophthalmologists

are available in these camps. The programme conducts 3-5 camps and 240 patients who have completed

50 transfusions have gone through the multi organ screening.

Transfusion helps prevent severe anemia and accords for more normal growth and development.

Home For The Terminally Aged

The home caters to aged members of the community who have been abandoned and rejected by their own

kith and kin and need round the clock medical assistance. It was initiated in the year 1994 by Dr. Prakash,

who experienced personal loss as there was no timely medical care for his mother.

The home strives to protect the health of 50 vulnerable people in the community by providing health and

medical security till their last breath. The major emphasis is on the family and community rehabilitation with

the ultimate goal of empowering the marginalized community

The home ensures day and night medical care to the elderly, provision of nutritional supplements, care for

ailments such as heart stroke, brain stroke, paralysis, bladder infections, amputated limbs due to diabetes

and other chronic diseases. Health check-ups for the elderly in the community are also regularly undertaken.

Referral services are provided to the beneficiaries based on their needs.

KOLKATA

Early Intervention & Short Term Respite For Individuals With Severe To Profound Intellectual

Disability, Autism, Multiple Disabilities And Cerebral Palsy

The organization is striving to empower intellectually impaired children and their families since the last 28

years. It is the first registered parents’ organization in Kolkata. The mission of the organization is to improve

the quality of life of children and young people with mental handicap by providing a range of services to meet

their needs.

The aims of the organization are:a) To advance personal development of mentally handicapped people to

avail better opportunities in education, training, leisure and recreational activities.

b) To promote personal choice and independence wherever possible.

c) To encourage full participation, integration and involvement in the association, community and society.

This organisation works with children and adults, aged between 3 - 40 years and more. The special school

takes care of 35 children. The children suffer from a severe to profound form of mental retardation and autism.

The different therapies that they receive are - music therapy, dance therapy, physiotherapy, occupational

therapy and so on. The children are involved in creative activities from preparing different projects to writing

stories and to colouring the pictures drawn for them.

All the parents, whose children suffer from mental challenges, are a part of the organization and they support

the organization either economically or by being a part of the programmes. Some of the mothers are attached

to the kitchen, where the meals of the children are prepared. As a result, the women are also economically

stable. Some of them teach the children vocational courses like stitching, making handicraft items, etc. while

others help the children with occupational or sensory therapies.

Promotion Of Safe Motherhood

The organisation started working for the promotion of safe motherhood in the year 2006, with the help of

Concern India Foundation. The high ratio of maternal and infant mortality in Maheshtala Municipality remains

a major challenge to health services. The area is mostly inhabited by underprivileged and illiterate people

who are predominantly refugees/migrants from Bangladesh. Moreover, the district has no basic health care

infrastructure along with high levels of illiteracy and ignorance. Complications arising during childbirth are

the leading cause of admission to health facilities as well as the primary cause of death for women of

childbearing age (15 - 44 years). Therefore, mortality and morbidity connected with pregnancy and childbirth

are the main reasons for the low-life expectancy of women in the area.

In order to address the issue, the programme runs a clinic, where pregnant women are treated with vital

medical facilities and provided with medicines. They are also referred to Government hospitals and health

centers for routine immunization. Along with the women, children from 0 to 5 years are also checked by

the doctor and treatment is done accordingly. The project conducts awareness generation camps, in order

to spread awareness among the community regarding health and sanitation. The project has also formed

action groups comprising of women in the wards to generate awareness regarding health issues among

other women in the community.

Therapeutic And Educational Intervention Programme For The Children With Disabilities

The organisation is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to welfare, growth and development of underprivileged

children. It is committed towards protecting and ensuring the rights of physically challenged children and

disabled persons.

The organisation has a home for the physically disabled children, where they are able to recover through

necessary surgical corrective measures and are able to lead a more dignified life. The children are provided

with special shoes, chairs and other aids and appliances by the organization, which helps them to stand on

their own and learn how to walk.

The home follows an integrated

and comprehensive approach

towards care and cure of the

disabled children. It comprises

of residential Care including

Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy,

Occupational Therapy, Daily Living

Activities Training, Nutritional

Support, Integrated and Special

Educational Support, Medical

Services and Vocational Training

to build the livelihood capacity of the children. The project is reaching out to nearly 700 children every year

through surgical corrective measures.

The programme also extends its outreach through the 11 sub- centres all across West Bengal, where the

children with physical and mental disabilities are treated; using various techniques like physiotherapy, special

education, etc. Concern India Foundation is reaching out to children from one such sub- center in Howrah

district. Different food charts are prepared for the children, depending on their age and disability, so that the

children get proper nutrition.

Residential home for destitute elderly women

In 1987, the organization started an old age home for women above 60 years of age. These old women

had nowhere else to go and were rejected by their family members. They were incapable of earning any

livelihood. The home provides residential facilities and takes care of the day-to-day requirements to the most

neglected, abandoned elderly women. At present there are 25 women above the age of 60 years, living in

the home and the organisation provides them with food and other necessary materials like clothes, bedding,

television for recreation, etc. The organisation gets information about them from various sources like the

police and the Social Welfare Board. When an elderly woman is found, she is brought to the home and the

organisation tries to get in touch with the family members of the women and send her back to her family.

However, at times, the family members are not interested in taking them back. In that case they stay at the

home where all her needs are fulfilled by the organisation.

PUNE

Rural Health Care Through Micro Health Insurance

The programme runs a Micro Health Insurance model - Deepti Arogya Nidhi that reaches out to rural women

addressing the issue of women’s

health. The health insurance

package promotes preventative and

curative measures that are offered

to members of Self Help Groups and

linked to a district level Federation.

To decrease the burden of health

illnesses, the members associated

with the package, receive

discounted out-patient (OPDs) and

inpatient services, medicines, and

diagnostic tests at network facilities.

These discounts are negotiated

with network facilities through the

bargaining power of having a significant number of members.

The programme, with help of individual practicing doctors (who have set up their own clinics in the village)

visit the women in their respective villages assisted by Jankars - members of the local community recruited

to serve as health resource persons. They are trained in preventative health care through the certificate

programme offered by the Maharashtra State Open University. The Jankars focus on increasing awareness

through relevant health camps, encouraging proper health care usage, promoting preventive measures,

providing referrals to network hospitals, and assisting with minor health problems; serving as an interface

between members, the insurers, and medical facilities.

The operational areas are focused on rural and semi-urban villages of Khed and Junnar Talukas of Pune

district, where there is a significant population living below the poverty line.

CHENNAI

Sanitation Drive, Health Camps And Installation Of Ro Water Purification System In Kanchipuram

District

The rains that lashed out in ‎Tamil Nadu in the months of November and December 2015 caused excessive

damages. Concern India Foundation in partnership with a

corporate is working in Kanchipuram district, one of the worst

affected areas in the outskirts of the Chennai city.

a) Sanitation Drive Programme- Conducted in 17 villages

with the purpose of dealing with diseases associated with

poor sanitation. The objective was to encourage people’s

participation and create awareness on self hygiene and public

sanitation among the residents of flood affected villages in Tamil

Nadu. The programme included cleaning of private and public

lavatories, overhead water tanks, balwadi centres, PDS shops,

etc. The programme also included sensitizing the community to

use local methods to keep cleanliness and hygiene.

b) Health Camps - 20 Villages were selected by Concern India

Foundation for medical camps on basis of

• Poor economic condition

• High mortality rates

• Loss of livestock

• Places which had not received help from the government or

NGOs during the flood.

The medical camps were planned to be conducted in 20 villages

with the aim of:

• Improving health condition of flood affected Dalit and tribal

communities

• Control the outbreak of water borne diseases

• Provide effective & special health facilities to pregnant women, children and the elderly

• Ensure proper medicines are available for them with follow up.

c) Installation of RO water purification systems - The unprecedented heavy rains caused severe damage

to the water bodies. The quality of the drinking water took a sudden fall and as a result the villagers were

affected with water borne diseases. Communicable diseases like typhoid, viral fever, cold, infection in

respiratory systems became very common among them. In order to reduce the morbidity issues in the

villages, Concern India Foundation planned to install the RO water purification systems in 10 villages in

Kanchipuram district. The RO water purification system installation work in the villages has proven to be

one of the model interventions to provide clean and hygienic drinking water. The installation of RO system

will lessen and prevent health issues among the Dalit community members. The active participation of the

villagers along with the panchayat bodies in identifying the land and other support systems have ensured the

community ownership in getting purified drinking water.