NORTH EAST REGION-ASSAM
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RF_IH_15_SUDHA
INTEGRATION OF PRIMARY
HEALTH SERVICES' IN A STATE
by
Dr. D.D. Arora, Director,
Health Services, Mi zo razp • Ai zawl.
This Multipurpose Scheme is being conducted
•since 1978 .
1]
1^ consists of the following programmes:
Oral renydration programme} 2] Malaria eradi
cation programme; 3] Family Welfare programme;
4] M.C.H. Services excluding Expanded Programme
of Immunization; 5] Leprosy control programme;
6] T.B, Control programme; 7] Expanded programme
of immunization; 8] School health services; 9]
Health education and Health education on nutrition.
The activities of these programmes will be discussed
in brief,
M
SesJtl" -
Health in the Hills
FR. P. L. SEBASTIAN
the name suggests, Meghalaya is the abode
of clouds. It is a land of eternal charm and
sunshine, verdant forests, abounding in wild life
and undulating hills meet the eyes everywhere.
This is the home of the Garos, Khasis and the
Jaintias. Among these tribes, the Garos number
about 4.5 lakhs, inhabiting the Garo Hills, has an
area of 11,467 sq. Kms. Turn is the only town.
95% of the population lives in villages, nestling
amor^ the hills, approachable through mountain
pa^F
The Garos are sturdy, with a short physique
like the other tribals. When they fall sick, the
loq^hpriest or doctor—Kobiras—is called. Due to
the unavailability of modern medical aids, people
are forced to be satisfied with local medicines,
sprinkled with rituals for placating the evil spirits.
Some of these medicines do have tremendous
healing power. Name any sickness from common
cold to cancer, the doctor comes up with a heal
ing herb. It is indeed a field calling for study
and research. Broken bones are set, just by the
sense of touch and healed in not more than a
couple of days. Even the educated man, when
sick, has recourse to local medicine. Local mid
wives have delivered all the babies in the villages,
and very few have died of tetanus.
^^nce mortality rate is very high among the
Gatos, Government is now determined to raise the
health standard of the people. Eleven Primary
Health Centres have been opened, employing
Angavadi workers, etc. Integral Child
Development Scheme (ICDS) has been started in
collaboration with UNICEF. The family Welfare
Department is immunising babies. Government
has already started training Community Develop
ment Workers and Dais going in for a major
break-through in Primary Health Care.
Malaria is unfortunately a scourge of Garo
Hills. People are prone to be lethargic and lazy
mainly due to the low level of hemoglobin caused
by continuous attacks of malaria. WHO (World
Health Organisation) has joined forces with the
local Government to eradicate malaria. Drug
Distribution Centres (DDC) and Fever Treatment
Clinics (FTC) are being opened in the remotest
villages. It is quite usual for a school teacher to
see one of his pupils suddenly start shivering and
running out of the class to sit under the sun.
Though malaria has not been completely eradica
ted, the number of deaths is dwindling.
Leprosy and T.B. are quite widespread among
the people. At Tura, there is a Chest Clinic,
providing curative facilities both for inpatients
and outpatients. There is an area in Garo Hills,
where leprosy is rampant. Government has not
done much by way of prevention, but settled the
sufferers in a colony, providing them with medi
cine and food. Sisters of the Society of Christ
Jesus, are looking after this colony. The medical
Mission Sisters working in this area are pushing
into remote villages with their mobile clinics.
Infant mortality among the Garos is rather
high. Most of the children die of diarrhoea and
malnutrition. This problem is now being tackled
also by Catholic Charities, the Diocesan Agency
for Catholic Relief Services. There are 12 Mother
and Child Health Centres, each with a clinic and a
nurse. The activities of these centres are now
being overhauled, to impart Nutrition Education
to as many mothers as possible. The matriarchal
system of the Garos is an added asset to the new
programme. Recently, 20 village leaders were
given training for a month, to educate their fellow
women in turn, on hygiene, child care etc, and to
organise them to take up some community acti
vities. There is no dearth of land and water.
Given the necessary encouragement, the villagers
will be able to grow enough food, and nourish
themselves with a balanced diet, ushering in a
healthy tomorrow.
Fr. P.L. Sebastian, DDCC
Director
Catholic Charities
TURA 794 002
Garo Hills, Meghalaya
4-9-1978
- 2
MOaW. ANCSALIZ GTAiaDAN
SANg
In the wake of the Chinese attack, in 1962, the national
Gandhian Institutions formulated a border areas scheme.
Such a
scheme was introduced at Kumarika/in Kamrup district of Assam
The area had already 3 number of
on the border with Bhutan.
Grandan villages which formed the base of intensive operation
under the scheme.
In course of time, these villages formed
themselves into a Gramdan Sangh, the first such organisation of
Gramdan villages in the Country.
The Sangh was established in
1965 at Eumarikata 781360, Bt. Kamrup, Assam and was registered
the same year as a Society.
Objectives i
Beholding and development of Gramdan villages is the main
objective
of the Sangh.
’Thile the actual work at village level
will be carried on by the Gram Sabbas of Gramdan villages, the
Sangh will undertake such activities which are beyond the capacity
of individual villages.
The programmes to be undertaken by the
Gramdan Sangh are (i/ irrigation; (ii) Hood, control and relief;
(iii) propagation of Gramdan thought and promoting the social
order based, on Gram Swarajya; (iv) propagation of khodi and
village industries; and (v) Creating an atmosphere of cooperation
and self help amongst the village people.
Programmes ;
The institution initially functicned as a Shanti Kendra
under the auspices a the Akhil Bharat Shanti Sena Mandal and
its historic peace work was the Angarsata Satyagraha.
Gramdan
development was another work and to that was added khadi work.
It is, therefore, said that the three streams of Shanti Sena,
Gramdan and Thadi meet at the confluence of Esmari Kata.
- 3
Zhadi at£ ugriclatural development brogranmes -were
introduced in g5 Gresidan villages in 1065.
The Zhadi work was
extended to 25 more villages.
later on
T'-.e institution provides training in weaving, spinning,
oil ghani (bcth bullock and power-operated).
-*-t has also started
bee-keeping.
Presently the institution is engaged in survey and
eons tracting an irrigation
channel on the traditional * dong*
providing irrigation to a number of villages for improved
agriculture.
Workers •
There are 17 full-time workers and 10 volunteers in
the institution.
ftss<a^
/ * X,
A/. £?<a-W-
No. 101
Health
Assam
x Total Health Care Project, Tamulpur Block, Kamrup District,
Assam
1.
Started in 1976’
2.
Coverage. Tribal (and other backward communities)
population of 1,33,000 in 204 villages of the block.
3.
Activities. The project aims at providing various
basic health services like Family Planning, Primary
vaccination, immunization, malaria survey
attending to minor ailments, control of TB, leprosy,
etc.
4.
Personnel. This block has been divided into 5 zones.
Each zone will have a doctor in charge supervising
the work of roughly 8 units. Each unit will be
headed by a para-medical worker who could be a
vaccinator, a health assistant, an ANM, a basic health
worker, a sanitary inspector, a leprosy worker, a
BCG vaccinator or a smallpox vaccinator. The person
in charge of each unit would be responsible for
total coverage of about 3 villages of population around
300 families.
12.
Reference.
EIO, UNICEF.
Note: Information not available for items 5 to 11.
-$
P
(Nt cum- - sr)
No. 102
Science Education
Assam
Assam Science Society, Gauhati, Assam
1.
Started in early 1960 (or may be earlier)
2.
Coverage
3.
Activities
entire Assam. Membership is from University,
college and schools. There are Science Clubs
and Science Societies affiliated to it.
a.
Publishes two journals (one for college level and"the other for school level).
b.
Brought out Assamese terminology of scientific
terms. Published several books on Science in
Assamese.
c.
Organization of popular lectures in the schools/
colleges, organization of Science Clubs, Science
Fairs and Science talent search and organization
of museum for children.
d.
Organization of local science societies at
different places affiliated to it.
7.
Sponsorship/funds . This is a voluntar ■ organization
with grants from State Government and other agencies.
12.
Reference.
EIO, UNICEF.
Points 4-6 and 8-12 not applicable.
Note; No information available on items 4-6 and 8-12.
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