Intervention In Reproductive And Child Health

Part of Deepak Foundation's Annual Report, 2001-2002

Ever since Deepak Foundation started working in the Nandesari area, women have been at the heart of its program interventions. Surveys and studies carried out by Deepak Foundation confirmed that women's and children's health status was very poor. DCT's interventions in this sphere have always been backed by the hospital's medical expertise, which might have been the factor behind the exceptional success we had in improving relevant indicators.

Antenatal Care Clinics run at the field level are an important part of the strategy to achieve this success. These clinics still are an integral part of our field intervention. They are designed to address community-specific RCH problems. These clinics, in co-ordination with the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) are held in 13 villages and are manned by medical staff, the local village level health worker, the local trained `dai' (birth attendant) and DCT's community development team member. A total of 1,469 antenatal check ups were carried out in these clinics this year as compared to 643 in 2000. A total of 884 Tetanus Toxoid injections were given to pregnant women at these clinics. For the last three years there has been no funding for this program and it has been run by internally generated funds. This intervention should be strengthened in 2002 with the launching of the new project for `First-time Parents' funded by the Population Council.

`Pati Sampark' (male involvement) is an important component of our Reproductive Health program. Initially launched to cover the decision makers of the family in order to improve attendance in Antenatal care clinics, it slowly moved to sensitize husbands to women's health problems and to improve husband-wife communication. The program consists of male outreach workers who contact husbands of pregnant women and provide information on pregnancy and childbirth. Even though this program has been affected by lack of resources, 1551 visits were made to husbands of pregnant women.

We are set to expand the scope of this intervention in the coming year and our team members for the Pati Sampark program, who so far discussed only pregnancy and childbirth, will discuss issues related to sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. This is in order to increase awareness about the issues and attendance in the clinics held for Sexually transmitted infections.

Average No. of Beneficiaries Daily Availing Services (40 Anganwadis)

Pregnant Mothers	102
Lactating Mothers	101
7 months to 3 years	605
3 years to 6 years	894

The ANGANWADI PROGRAM emerged from DCT's shift from the curative to preventive approach in children's health. It is part of the Government ICDS program. DCT has been given 40 Anganwadis to run by the Government of Gujarat. It is the core program of DCT that deals with the physical, mental, motor and social development of children. Another important component of this program is the distribution of supplementary food to high-risk categories i.e. pregnant women, lactating women and children below the age of 6. Pre-primary education; Health checkups & Immunization; Monitoring of malnourishment in children and mothers; Dispersing information about nutrition, health etc. are important activities carried out by the Anganwadis. The distinctive feature of DCT run Anganwadis is the linkage with the DMF hospital. Every Wednesday the doctor and the medical team from the hospital visit one Anganwadi and monitor the health status of the children. Those children who need specialized care are referred to the Pediatric clinic held at the DMF hospital every Wednesday. A total number of 2,032 children were given health checkups in the past fifteen months. The quality of care offered by the Anganwadi workers is superior due to the training imparted to them by the DCT staff. A total number of 18 trainings were given to them in the past year. Events like Nutrition Week; ORS Day; Children's Day; Women's Day etc. are all celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Anganwadis.

Number of Beneficiaries Availing Services of Anganwadis
Activity	Girls	Boys	Women	Men	Total
Pre-Primary edu.	733	791			1523
Supplementary Nutrtn. (No. of Meals)	555305		74843		630148
Weaning Foods	1107	1372			2479
Parents Awareness			1031	65	1096

DCT makes all attempts to provide the children balanced and nutritious meals. This is just not possible in the money that is allocated by the Government per child per meal (about Rs.1). So DCT contributes from its own funds in order to provide children in the Anganwadis a healthy balanced diet. Corn (`makkai'), Steamed chickpeas (`bafela chana'), steamed and sprouted mung dal etc. are some of the food items given to the children. Rice and Mung dal are two items that DCT buys with its money in order that "khichree" and steamed mung can be given to the children. The Anganwadi helpers are also trained in preparing these dishes in the most nutritious manner and ways to increase the mineral and vitamin content of these by adding locally available ingredients such as lemon, drumstick leaves, curry leaves etc.

Welfare Programs

DCT assists widows in getting pension from the State Government. In the past year DCT has assisted 30 widows to get the monthly widow-pension of Rs.580. DCT also helped twenty families to get ration cards. Our team was able to help 20 women get Rs.15,400 each from the Gujarat government for the purchase of sewing machines. DCT also organized a camp for persons with physical disabilities with the co-operation of the Government doctors. A total number of 167 persons attended this camp. 86 persons were provided with `certificates' stating their degree of disability, which is needed for acquiring bus passes and train passes. At this very camp itself, bus passes and train passes were provided to the persons who needed them. A total number of 72 passes were distributed. The response to this camp was very good and we plan to organize more such camps.