Visits by EHA friends and supporters
16 February 2006: Three groups of EHA friends and supporters traveled to different EHA units during Jan and Feb 2006. We thank each of them for their concern and support.
Members of the Elmbrook Church, Milwaukee visited from Jan 16-20, 2006. The visitors were Gerri Leenhouts, Peter Sohlden, Kathy Adams and Arun Zechariah. They spent time at the Shifa Community Health Project, Badshahibagh, a unit of Herbertpur Christian Hospital. They met with project staff who explained the project activities. They also attended a meeting with 3 women's groups. They visited the village DOTS centre and met the village headman. This was followed by a visit to Herbertpur Christian Hospital where they were impressed with the services. This was followed by a visit to Shalom, Delhi where Gerri conducted a counseling workshop for the staff. Elmbrook Church kindly gives support to the Central Office.
Carol McWilliams, Carol Longenecker and Sue Piper, members of First Presbyterian Church, Moorestown, New Jersey visited from February 5-13, 2006. Carol McWilliams, Missions Administrator, inaugurated the new Maternity Block at Broadwell Christian Hospital, Fatehpur. This was renovated with a grant from the church. The grant also covered a new nursery and low cost ward. They also visited Herbertpur Christian Hospital and Shalom, Delhi. They have supported program costs for Shalom for three years.
Judy Auxter, Jeff Kramer and Kathryn Limmer of Grace Presbyterian Church, Jenkintown, New Jersey visited from Feb. 5-13, 2006. We traveled to Fatehpur, Utraula, Herbertpur and Shalom, Delhi. The highlights of the unit visits was attending a health fair at a village near Utraula and visiting the new rural maternity centre run by a trained RCH nurse. They gave lectures at Herbertpur in emergency medicine, pediatric topics and prolonged labor. They gifted two binocular microscopes, one to Fatehpur and the other to Shalom as well as medical books and instruments. They kindly support the work of Shalom Delhi.
Dr Ann Thyle
EHA Regional Director
EHA Participates in Advocacy Meet in Vellore
16 February 2006: The Annual meet of Medico Friends Circle (MFC) was held at Vellore, from January 27-29, 2006. The Medico Friend Circle is the member of Jan Swasth Abhiyan which has taken up the issue of ‘Right to Health Care Campaign.’ The last MFC annual meet focused on the theme of ‘Right to Health Care’ and so in continuation this year the theme was ‘Cost & Quality of Health Care.’
The stage for discussion was set by Dr. Binayak Sen, who threw light on the increasing cases of Human right violation and crushing the voices of poor. He posed the challenge that in such adverse atmosphere is it possible to materialize health for all and to address the issues of cost and quality? The discussion was followed by issues of Global Public Private Partnership Initiatives, politics of large scale vertical public health programmes, regulation of drug pricing under new regime of patent, Public health sector vs. private sector and so on. The main contention was to identify issues that prohibit the majority of the population in the country to access quality health care at affordable cost.
Dr. Vinod Shah started the next day’s discussions with a presentation on how cost of health care affects the economic status of poor, supported by statistics. He presented a World Bank report that states that every year 25% of all hospitalized Indians slip below the poverty line because of hospital expenses alone. Other concerns raised were quality of medical education, lack of family physicians and the dependency on investigations. After in-depth discussion over issues related to cost of health care, solutions came forward from the experiences of people around the country. Speakers & participants shared their experiences on avoidance of unnecessary investigation, unnecessary medication, use of simpler/cheaper material, use of certain management techniques, continuous training of doctors, nurses & paramedics, community insurance, involvement of community, strengthening of public health structure & regulation of private structures, and pro-poor regulations.
Somesh Pratap, Project Director of EHA's Community Health Project in Champa Chattisgarh participated in the meet. He was part of the delegation which presented the population policy of Chattisgarh to the State Secretary. Somesh observed that the theme was very relevant to EHA and its ministry of serving the poor. At a time when society is struggling to develop an alternative model that is people centric, quality assuring and cost effective, EHA with its vast experience can effectively contribute to the public health of India.
Somesh Pratap, Project Director
Champa Community Health Project
CHASINI Partners Meet
16 February 2006: A two day meeting of CHASINI (Comprehensive HIV AIDS Services In North India) partners was held at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi on 6 & 7 February 2006. The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. VP, Executive Director of Emmanuel Hospital Association who spoke about the need to continuously strive to excel and evaluate ourselves and the impact of our work. Dr. Langkham gave an overview of CHASINI phase II, its origin and the goal. The implementing partners from EHA hospitals and Community Health Projects attended the meeting. The partners presented a three year report on the progress and the impact. Partner hospitals have established or at places are evolving systems of waste management and infection control. Each hospital has a trained counselor for pre and post HIV test counseling and follow up of the cases. The community health project partners are addressing the adolescents through training on appropriate and positive behavior change. They also are a link between the communities and the hospitals for referrals and follow up. The learning and challenges were also highlighted through sharing of success stories.
Dr. Santhosh Mathew led the discussion on the HIV/AIDS Policy of EHA. The participants chalked out and presented their six monthly plans. This was followed by a presentation of the emerging trend in HIV/AIDS transmission through a case study of Cambodia and the National perspective on HIV and AIDS. Based on this the participants worked in groups to identifying the strategic issues and themes for the next phase of CHASINI. Dr. Shantanu Dutta, Director Community Health was present throughout the meeting and provided necessary inputs.
Esther
CHASINI
Gujjars of Kashmir Visit EHA office!
13 February 2006- Traveling from the mountains of Kashmir in north India to the hot plains of Tamilnadu in South, a group of Gujjars (the hill people of Kashmir), crossed many frontiers to participate in a community workshop for tribals organised by Department of RUHSA (Rural unit for health and social affairs), Christian Medical College Vellore. The Gujjars of Kashmir are a semi-nomadic tribe, mostly herdsmen by occupation. EHA has been working among the Gujjars, residents of Jammu Pathan village on the upper reaches of Baramulla district in Jammu & Kashmir, post October earthquake.
Encouraged by the EHA relief team working in Kashmir, the four member Gujjar team undertook this marathon journey to speak at the community workshop. Their participation in the workshop was made possible by the combined efforts of CMC Vellore, EHA and the Kashmir army. Enroute to Vellore they made a stop in Delhi and visited the EHA office where they were warmly welcomed. EHA relief team member Trinath accompanied them on their travel to Vellore. It was an arduous journey which they undertook with great enthusiasm.
The state of Jammu & Kashmir is home to eleven major tribes, namely Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gara/Garba, Mon, etc. who constitute 10.9% of the total population of the state. Among these, Gujjars and Bakarwals constitute a significant proportion of the population of the State with major concentration in Jammu, Rajouri, Udhampur, Poonch, Uri, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Daksum and Kandi areas of Jammu and Kashmir Divisions.
For centuries, the Gujjar community has retained its unique lifestyle with the main source of livelihood being dairy and animal products. Keeping in mind its tribal character, the Central Government granted it scheduled tribe status in 1991. This was the culmination of decades-long struggle by the community and many activists. Gujjars are a vital community in Jammu and Kashmir.
The vast majorities of Gujjars today are Muslim and are semi-nomadic, herding sheep, goats and buffalo. They migrate from the lowland plains in the winter to the upper reaches of the Himalaya during the summer. Often Gujjar men hire themselves out as porters or pony men for the army and trekking parties. They still live in the traditional mud and log dwellings.
World AIDS Day observed by EHA units
24 January 2006: On the Occasion of World AIDS Day commemorated around the world on 1 December, several EHA units organised community- wide events focusing on the World AIDS Day 2005 Campaign theme "Stop Aids. Keep the Promise." Exhibition of posters, banners, and other materials on HIV/AIDS were displayed at various venues, mass awareness rallies organised, pamphlets distributed and public functions with cultural programs organised to spread awareness about the epidemic.
MILAN HIV/AIDS Project in Jharkhand observed the day with a theme on challenging youth for action on HIV/AIDS. They conducted a mass awareness rally in which other NGOS and school children participated. Posters and banners with messages on HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention were put up in different areas of Daltonganj town in Jharkhand state. Pamphlets were also distributed to the people. A function was organised in a school hall where students presented songs and skit on the modes of transmission of HIV. The messages were well received by the people. Palamu District of Jharkhand has a large population of migrants who are at high-risk. HIV/AIDS awareness is an essential way to prevent HIV/AIDS among the group.
HBM Hospital and Community Health Project, Lalitpur also organised a rally in the main market area of Lalitpur town to mark the day. Posters and pamphelts were also put in strategic areas of the town to spread the message of HIV awareness to a wider group. A cultural program was organised in the main market to create awareness about HIV/AIDS. Puppet show, skits, songs were performed. The local community appreciated the programs as they were conducted in the local language.
