Posted by: Administrator
in Public health – developing countries on Feb 09, 2012
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Contributed By Dr Raj Panda and Dr Sourav Neogi
In a small village of Chattisgargh, we found a school full of kids and a building/center within the same campus; where many women has gathered wearing pink saris bordering black. A woman in her mid 30’s came forward and welcomed us to the center, later on we learned that she is in charge of this center and her name is Sosan Mary. In this beautiful village landscape, where many houses are mainly made of mud and the road connectivity is rudimentary; this looks like a standalone campus. The outside wall of the center is decorated with Micky Mouse pictures, it was a bit surprising for us as well; inside the center we found the rooms are well decorated with full of training materials. Ms. Sosan told us that about the center and its importance. She introduced to us with the women who were wearing the pink saris bordering black and she said they are the Anganwadi workers, the ground force to implement ICDS program at the village level, through their Anganwadi centers. She also added that the center in which we are standing is known as ICDS Sector Resource Center. Regarding the Anganwadi workers she said these workers face many challenges into their day to day activities at the village level; however they are very motivated people and do their work taking responsibility towards their community. They are quite popular in their local communities; people often call them “anganwadi didi”.
Sosan added that proper training of these workers is very critical for the success of the overall program. She recalled that even few years back they were trained usually at the district level in huge numbers; in order to attend these trainings they had to travel long distances. In those trainings they never used to get individual attention; even their questions/queries were sometime unanswered by the trainers due to lack of time.
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Posted by: Administrator
in Public health – developing countries on Dec 14, 2011
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Augustine Veliath, who was a Communication Specialist with UNICEF for 23 years is India's leading voice on health communication and child participation
December 10 was the Human Rights Day. What does a Public Health practitioner or professional do on this day?
Re read Article 25 of the Human Rights Declaration. This 1948 document said two things.
- Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
- Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Inherent in the Right to Health (R2H) is the right to the underlying conditions of health as well as medical care. The Right to Health (R2H) is the economic, social and cultural right to the highest attainable standard of health.
Posted by: Administrator
in Communication on Nov 17, 2011
The facebook group on "Public Health in India" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/publichealthindia/) was started as an experiment almost a year ago by requesting friends to join the group. Soon the word spread and there are 552 members (as of 17 November 2011).
Purpose of Group:The group was created to facilitate as a platform for discussions in Public Health, technical guidance, advocacy and information.
Members and administration of the group: People can join this group if they are on facebook. They can be either added directly by administrators or any other members. All suggestions from members will have to be approved by one of the administrators. Currently, there are seven administrators for the group. (Giridhar R Babu ,Karan Singh Sagar, Neha Agrawal, Girish N Rao, Prabhjot Singh, Anant Bhanand Prashanth Nuggehalli Srinivas).
The task of administrators is primarily to approve membership to the group and moderate some messages through comments and clarifications. One of the key challenges for administrators is in approving new membership. If none of the administrators are aware of the details regarding the new member request, they have to visit their facebook profile and make an assessment to decide. Facebook does not allow the introduction and subsequent approval as of now (as against to pre-requisite for closed groups in yahoo or google) and hence this is a challenge. Currently, the members include professionals interested in public health in India as a discipline including several faculty members from medical colleges, PHFI and abroad. There are civil society representatives, common people, students and many other doctors in the group.
Posted by: Administrator
in General on Oct 22, 2011
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Mahesh Nath Singh
International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai-400088
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Health and productivity of humans is closely linked with life style, decision-making and substance used (chewing pan, cigarettes and alcohol). Therefore, explorations in the area of how these three factors linked and influence each other in urban ghettos is immensely important for managing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Four hundred twenty seven unmarried youths living in Mumbai slums were interviewed on these issues.
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This paper is an attempt to seek the answer of question- (1) whether education has any positive impact on decision-making in several household matters, (2) whether pocket money has any association with consumption of substances (chewing pan, cigarettes and alcohol).In addition to the two questions, it also attempts to see the level of knowledge regarding Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI)/ Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI).
Posted by: Administrator
in Public health – developing countries on Sep 04, 2011
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Horizontal or Vertical approach
Dr Shridhar Kadam, MD, MPH Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Public Health, Bhubaneswar (Public Health Foundation of India)
Worldwide there is unanimity in accepting the concept that public health is a social action and health is a basic human right. It is also evident that the market mechanisms fail in achieving individual as well as social health goals because of complexity and peculiarity of public health where health cannot be considered as a commodity. This situation emphasizes the role of governments in leading the public health as a social action.
In this regard, Alma Ata declaration in 1978 brought primary health care on forefront with emphasis on integrated health care for all. It also emphasized the proactive role of governments in ensuring provision of comprehensive health care services to their population. However this declaration got setbacks within few years of its inception in the form of ‘selective primary health care’. The focus was shifted from a comprehensive health care to the vertical disease control programmes. Health service delivery was divided into two; vertical disease control programmes and general health care. The responsibility of vertical diseases control programmes where there is less people’s demand was given to the government and general health care where there is demand and profit was left to the private. All international agencies and donors supported these policies creating more and more vertical disease control programmes. These programmes exerted huge pressure on already weak government health systems in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC).
Posted by: Administrator
in Public health – developing countries on Sep 03, 2011
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Augustine Veliath, who was a Communication Specialist with UNICEF for 23 years is India's leading voice on health communication and child participation
My name is Latha but my father used to call me Pushpa. I am 17 years old. I live in Krishna District of the Southern Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. I will soon be ready for college, having completed my higher secondary education. I have never failed my examinations. Neither have I repeated a class.
“Your names are poetic”, my favorite Telugu teacher used to say. My name means a creeper. The other name indicates a beautiful flower. Creepers need support of a strong, sturdy and stable tree or pillar near it. Otherwise, they do not bloom. That support, is what we, as a family always missed.
When my father named me Latha and called me Pushpa, he probably expected to be around to be that dependable support by me as I grow up.
This was not to be. My father died when I was seven and my brother Bhasker was three. Since then, my mother Parvati, has borne the brunt of bringing us up, educating us, and caring for my brother and me. Both my brother and I are on ART.
Posted by: Bhuputra Panda
in policy on Aug 16, 2011
Can one have corporate culture in mind and yet pursue community development. In other words, should thinking by mind and action by heart look contradictory yet co-exist?
I am writing this in the context where civil society is fighting for a share in the process of policy formulation. The politics of policies is applicable to all spheres of life – be it drafting anti-corruption bill or essential drugs bill or the white papers on National Health Policy or for that matter the Right to Information Bill. The process of formulation and implementation of such policies and translation of draft legislations into Acts of Parliament require a paradigm shift in our thinking and our action. Formulation of policies and translation into action are arguably two distinct functions. The former relies on evidences while the latter needs concrete organizational structure and processes. The former is holistic, while the later dissected. The former could be ‘populist’, while the later ought to be ‘scientific’ to be effective.
Posted by: Guy Noronha
in Education on Aug 16, 2011
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In November 2010, The Lancet published the findings of The Commission on Education of Health Professionals for the 21st Century. The study was sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the China Medical Board.
The report is titled ‘Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world.’
My question is – “Shouldn’t more effort and funding be put into making healthcare education more accessible and affordable?” After all the best way to strengthen any healthcare system is have more trained people to run it. And the high cost of medical/healthcare education is often a deterrent to aspiring students.
Posted by: PREETI SINGH
in General on Jul 10, 2011
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Why are dental health programmes not a serious part of public health programmes ? Is dental health of the people not an important issue ?
Posted by: Administrator
in Public health – developing countries on Jun 27, 2011
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By Augustine Veliath
The Art of Hosting Conversations training is an experience for deepening competency and confidence in hosting group processes - Circle, World Café, Open Space, Appreciative Inquiry, Proaction Cafe and other forms.
Each of these processes generates connection and releases wisdom within groups of people. They foster synergy and provide ways for people to participate in intention, design, and outcomes/decisions/actions.
The experience is hosted by a team of facilitators who are skilled or trained in at least one, if not all of these processes; and the experience is aimed at people who want to serve as conversational hosts in their work, community, and personal lives.
Beginning in the early afternoon of June 10th, at the lovely Birds and Bees Resort an hour outside of Bangkok, we convened a field of creativity and innovation.
