Mumbai, a city in which life is so fast paced, that no one stops for anyone, even if someone is dying. In this city, Doctors For You team lead by Dr Ravikant Singh, has been working toward universal access to quality health care services to all, specially the under privileged section of society such as slum dwellers, project affected population and migrants since 2010.
Doctors for You has been providing comprehensive health services in east ward of Mumbai, which has large slum population, through two community health centres in Govandi and Mankhurd. At both the sites, services are provided at the centre and at the community level. It provides curative and health promotive services. Services provided at the health centre are general health check up, Immunization, family planning, Dental services, ophthalmic services, tuberculosis prevention and control and physiotherapy and neuro rehabilitation. The daily case load in various OPDs range from 150-180 patients.
In the community, DFY team has been working closely with other stake holders in order to raise the health awareness regarding immunization, tuberculosis, family planning, disability rehabilitation, personal hygiene and dental services. Tuberculosis is a major health problem in this area, currently 110 patients are receiving DOTS therapy at both the centres among which 30 multiple drug resistant cases are provided nutritional supplements to fight against the disease. With the efforts of DFY team and stakeholders cooperation, DFY has achieved 100% immunization coverage among children below 5 years of age in the area.
Start of Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition(CMAM) at MRVC DFY Health centre Mankhurd :
Malnutritin is a major public health problem in the area with 36% prevalence among children below 5 years of age. For such children, DFY launched CMAM program in October 2015. During this tie period, 135 children were registered. These children were given nutritinal supplements in form of RUTF and Hyderabad Mix.
Nutrition Supplements to Drug Resistant Tuberculosis patients:
Malnutriton increases the risk of tuberculosis infection while Tuberculosis disease also leads to malnu- triton. In Tuberculosis patents, adequate nutriton acts as medicine and improves the overall immunity and treatment outcome of disease. In associaton with Pharmaceutcal division of Johnson & Johnson- Janssen, DFY provided protein rich dry ratons to 30 MDR/XDR TB patents. This resulted in zero default rates among TB patents.
Engaging with aanganwadi centres:
Anganwadi centres are focal point for delivering preventve & promotng maternal and child health program under ICDS program. DFY works with 40 anganwadi centres in Mankhurd. DFY team organizes health awareness sessions for mother, malnutriton and immunizaton session for children at anganwadi centres. DFY mobilized toys for children atending anganwadi centres.
Certificate course for nursing assistant:
In slum areas the health care services are provided by private clinics of general practoners(GPs). These GPs hire girls and women from neighbourhood as assistant, at a very modest salary as these women and girls are untrained. At the same tme, DFY also faced difculty in hiring qualifed staf for community out reach as well as health promotonal actvity. Sensing this gap as potental opportunity DFY started 6 months health assistant training course for adolescent girls and women from the community. The course was tailor made for candidates with minimum qualification of 8th standard. The course material was also converted in Hindi. In the first batch, 13 candidates completed the course. Out of 13, 10 candidates got immediate placement. The second batch of 15 candidates is currently undergoing training.
Mehndi Classes:
Mehandi classes for adolescent girls and women: In Mankhurd and Govandi area where DFY is providing health services, majority of population belongs to Muslim community. Applying Mehandi is practiced commonly and this is a source of income for many women, who work as free lancer or from their home. During this year, DFY trained 78 women and girls for 3 months in 4 batches.
Community engagement activities:
DFY team collaborated with Khula Aasman in organizing recreational activities for adolescent boys and girls from the community. The activities carried out were music and dance classes, outdoor games, sanitation drives, health and hygiene promotion etc. These activities prevent these children in engaging addiction or mingling with anti social elements.