Health Camps For Mica Workers

AID - Jharkhand (Giridih Chapter )

The State of jharkhand is besieged with administrative ills in the form of the collapse of the primary health centres which are thye basic succour to the rural poor for any health needs 

In its absence and failure the only available recourse to the people is the indigenous practitioners and the untrained medical practitioners. Due to the Lack of Communicable Roads , the hilly terrain and forest region, plus the added threat from extremists groups, the professional doctor's do not enter these remote Villages.

The Current Picture is still lot of people losing their lives to epidemics of malaria and diarrhoea. Anti-natal care is not accessible. Deliveries are conducted in the same conditions, Which are not conductive to a successful birth. the survival of mother and child is considered as fate determined by God. All aspects of preventive measures are totally absent and even the practitioner's whole focus has been curative methods.

In this Dismal scenario the apporach of AID-JHARKHAND towards the health needs of the people have been cautious and need based . There is Combination of services with major focus on preventive health with curative services as well where situation demands. In the reason of JHARKHAND , this is the first time that preventitve camps and and campaign among the community are being conducted continupusly By AID-JHARKHAND.

It has been able to promote the Following:-

One of the most Successful Programmes has been the program of pulse polio. During this program the entire Government machinery is geared to go to the remote interior pockets,.the education centres/health centres and the community forums of the NGO become the nucleus to cover the polio campaign successfully. In Garhwa , palamau, Ranchi, Giridih, East-singhbhum, West-singhbhum Districts This campaign was co-ordinated by AID-JHARKHAND inthe blocks where it has programs already in progress. Around 11897 Children have been covered in 12 Blocks in the above Districts.

The services of  ICDS that provide nutritive meals and medicines for the children are not utilised by the villagers due to lack of the functionong of the centers or lack of awareness. AID-JHARKHAND played the role of awareness generator among the community and ensured that the community had access to the services. the joint work enabled the government staff to be sensitised onthe local needs of the community.

Earlier the health workers demanded money for the services even through they were supposed to be free for the community. But now, thanks to the intervention of the organization and the campaign at the village level, a sense of fear has been created among the government staff and now there is no demand for such monetary benefits.

Initially , along with the lack of medical facilities, there was faith in the black magic and witchraft. The sick family had to soend a lot of money for the sacrifice of animals such as goats and chicken. There is a belief that the evil spirits enter the soul and causes diseases, these could be got rid of by sacrificing animals and the black magic of the witch doctors. these beliefs lead to increased mortality of women and children. This situation is now changing with more logical Inputs Into the health awareness programs in the region.