Addressing Health Rights Issues of Marginalized Communities
We had some additional opportunities for exploring in-depth the social exclusion that disadvantaged communities such women beedi workers, Dalit communities and Dalit women experience face while accessing health services.
Health and Social Exclusion in South India
“Evidence based advocacy by Jagriti Mahila Sangh (JMS) leads to posting of doctors and nurses and free medicines in seven PHCs in Raichur District Karnataka.” This year CHSJ intensified its interest in working on health issues in South India, where health systems and indicators are considered to be relatively better, but there are glaring cases of social inequality. In order to build a better understanding of Health Equity and the health status of Dalit communities a workshop was organised in Bangalore, on 24th & 25th October 2017. Following this atraining on reproductive and maternal health care was held for 25 participants from the states of Karnataka, Tamilnadu, and Andhra Pradesh. CHSJ also provided technical support to Jagrutha Mahila Sanghatane (JMS) a Dalit women agricultural labourers’ collective in Raichur district of Karnataka to strengthen its work in the field of health. CHSJ supported JMS to systematically review the state of maternal health services using participatory and pictorial tools. The results of the community inquiry were shared through public health dialogues in 7 Primary Health Centres. The DHO (CMHO) subsequently issued a departmental circular to all PHCs which reinforced the maternity entitlements of women. There was immediate appointments of nurses in all PHCs, and in two PHCs medical officers were also appointed. Iron-sucrose injections which are necessary for managing anaemia but which was earlier being purchased from the pharmacies was made available free of cost through the PHC.
“Evidence based advocacy by Jagriti Mahila Sangh (JMS) leads to posting of doctors and nurses and free medicines in seven PHCs in Raichur District Karnataka.” This year CHSJ intensified its interest in working on health issues in South India, where health systems and indicators are considered to be relatively better, but there are glaring cases of social inequality. In order to build a better understanding of Health Equity and the health status of Dalit communities a workshop was organised in Bangalore, on 24th & 25th October 2017. Following this atraining on reproductive and maternal health care was held for 25 participants from the states of Karnataka, Tamilnadu, and Andhra Pradesh. CHSJ also provided technical support to Jagrutha Mahila Sanghatane (JMS) a Dalit women agricultural labourers’ collective in Raichur district of Karnataka to strengthen its work in the field of health. CHSJ supported JMS to systematically review the state of maternal health services using participatory and pictorial tools. The results of the community inquiry were shared through public health dialogues in 7 Primary Health Centres. The DHO (CMHO) subsequently issued a departmental circular to all PHCs which reinforced the maternity entitlements of women. There was immediate appointments of nurses in all PHCs, and in two PHCs medical officers were also appointed. Iron-sucrose injections which are necessary for managing anaemia but which was earlier being purchased from the pharmacies was made available free of cost through the PHC.
|
Study into the Health issues of Women Beedi Workers
Despite special Bidi Hospitals women beedi workers suffer from range of health conditions like asthma, and other respiratory tract problems, pain and swelling in their hands and legs, problems in their eyes, constipation, tachycardia, giddiness, reproductive tract infections and often receive no treatment. To understand the beedi sector related policies and how they affect the workers CHSJ conducted a study in the three states of Tamilnadu, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. In India there are about 50 lakh workers, an overwhelming majority of them being women, are engaged in the Beedi industry in India. Since these women work at home they are considered informal workers and often excluded from benefits of the policies. In addition to the desk research we conducted field visits and held consultations with over 200 people drawn from beedi workers, civil society organisations working with communities, academic institutions and media persons involved in the industry. The study highlighted the status of beedi workers and the challenges they face in accessing the various entitlements, including health entitlements that are provided for through the policy framework. The results of the study have been shared with the concerned stakeholders and it is expected that they will use if for improving the systems. |
|
Building Capacity of Civil Society on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Accountability
“Although my organization is working with Dalit community as primary focus since years and raising their issues, but it never occurred to us to see the services that they were getting from social exclusion and marginalization lens. This training helped me in developing social exclusion lens and I started observing services with that perspective. Now I can see that and understand the consequences. It will help me in working with Dalit community for their health rights in a better way.” Baskaran, Centre for Social Education and Development (CSED), Tamil Nadu.
Baskaran was one of the participants of a capacity building projectthat CHSJ conducted with partners of National Foundation for India workin the the6 states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu . The two phase training included a practicum and mentoring support and was conducted using participatory methodology to facilitate learning for these community based organisations. For many of these organizations this was their first introduction to health policy and governance issues.
“Although my organization is working with Dalit community as primary focus since years and raising their issues, but it never occurred to us to see the services that they were getting from social exclusion and marginalization lens. This training helped me in developing social exclusion lens and I started observing services with that perspective. Now I can see that and understand the consequences. It will help me in working with Dalit community for their health rights in a better way.” Baskaran, Centre for Social Education and Development (CSED), Tamil Nadu.
Baskaran was one of the participants of a capacity building projectthat CHSJ conducted with partners of National Foundation for India workin the the6 states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu . The two phase training included a practicum and mentoring support and was conducted using participatory methodology to facilitate learning for these community based organisations. For many of these organizations this was their first introduction to health policy and governance issues.