www.merinews.com
Blogs are the latest platform being used to raise concern and stir public opinion and action on issues like maternal deaths, proving to be a good advocacy tool for issues that would have remained otherwise invisible.
INTERESTING BLOGS, which raise concern on social issues, are catching up in Bhopal in the heart of India, from the state capital of Madhya Pradesh. Blogs like www.safemotherhood.blogspot.com, reflect what is being written in the media on the issue of safe motherhood and raise concern on the high maternal mortality ratio in the state. The blog is contributing its bit to give visibility to the issue of maternal deaths and factors impacting the same. It brings out stories published at the district level edition or in the local newspapers which many a times do not figure at the state level media so that it can reach people who matter – the policy makers and people on the net. This blog takes extra effort either by translating the Hindi news items into English or adapting it from Hindi edition and reproducing it on the web log to draw attention to the cause.
Many a times these news stories can be a pitch for the big story – which probably adds to the purpose of this blog. Some examples in this regard could be of the stories of how lack of blood in the Bhind district hospital killed two during delivery on the same day or how state schemes face implementation glitches at ground level; stories that made it to the state news. This means that the blog is getting noticed. The blog also features in a Google blog search on the issue, and its updates are very fast on the search engine - an evidence to the fact that blog updates is shown faster on the search engines as compared to website updates.
The other blog from the state is www.newswhichmatter.blogspot.com . This started in the year 2005 and is still going strong as it has many people logging in. The others, which may be worth a mention, is www.mpchildinfo.blogspot.com, news on initiatives for children of the state, www.madhyapradesh.blogspot.com on tourism in MP and www.foeticide.blogspot.com reflects an issue of female foeticide in India, a pertinent issue today.
With facilities like Google alerts, possibilities are expanding for blogs like these and for the people who contribute to these blogs. A Google search on the topic will throw up more information via blogs than the existing websites.
Everyday hundreds and thousands of blogs get created on various sites like blogger.com, worpress.com, rediff.com that unravel issues that have been disregarded and haven’t got the attention they deserve. A great way of helping bring the plight of people into focus.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Helpless labourers fall prey to TB in Madhya Pradesh
The lives of labourers begin from mines and end with tuberculosis in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh. Forced to work in illegal stone quarries because they get no other jobs, constant exposure to silica dust puts the labourers at high risk of getting TB.
Saharia tribals and backward classes, most of whom suffer from tuberculosis, dominate the Pahargarh, Chhaina, Likhiganj and Sihonia villages of Madhya Pradesh's Morena district.
The benefits of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) continue to evade these poverty stricken villagers and even when they manage to get medicines, they are not cured because of high levels of malnutrition.
As most of the people who work at the stone quarries have not been included in the below poverty line (BPL) list, they are not provided with BPL ration cards.
Arun Sharma, a local medical practitioner said, "The main reason behind the spread of TB is the type of houses in which they live. The second reason is malnutrition among these people, due to which they easily get affected by TB or any other disease."
Twenty five-year-old Gita of Pahargarh village is one of the hundreds of tuberculosis patients in the area who are unable to get the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) medicines as the gulf between availability of medical services and access to them is impossible to bridge.
A resident of Pahargarh village, 39 year-old Siayaram, said he is a TB patient but is not getting medicines from the government hospital. "I've to go to Morena where I'm getting treatment at a private hospital," he said. Mamta, 20, also gets her tuberculosis medicines worth about Rs 500 every ten days from a private hospital in Morena.
"It is true that many people are unable to get the treatment in government hospitals as government hospitals are only doing the formality of DOTS programme. They want to do minimum work. These problems will increase with the increase in number of patients. Therefore they want to keep the number of patients at a minimum", said Sharma.
The situation is similar in the Sihona block, which has about 1300 TB patients. Although there is a community health centre in the village, the facilites are inadequate to cater to all the TB patients.
However, block medical officer Padmesh Upadhyay claims that TB is now fully under control. "Earlier there was little hope of a TB patient getting cured. Now it is my endeavour to start the treatment as soon as possible once the disease is detected," he said.
Another problem with the treatment of TB is that if the medicines are skipped even once then the patient has to do the entire course again. If the medicine is not taken properly at the right time then it can do more harm than good. In such a situation there is a risk of drug resistance and treatment becomes difficult, says health officials
IANS
Saharia tribals and backward classes, most of whom suffer from tuberculosis, dominate the Pahargarh, Chhaina, Likhiganj and Sihonia villages of Madhya Pradesh's Morena district.
The benefits of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) continue to evade these poverty stricken villagers and even when they manage to get medicines, they are not cured because of high levels of malnutrition.
As most of the people who work at the stone quarries have not been included in the below poverty line (BPL) list, they are not provided with BPL ration cards.
Arun Sharma, a local medical practitioner said, "The main reason behind the spread of TB is the type of houses in which they live. The second reason is malnutrition among these people, due to which they easily get affected by TB or any other disease."
Twenty five-year-old Gita of Pahargarh village is one of the hundreds of tuberculosis patients in the area who are unable to get the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) medicines as the gulf between availability of medical services and access to them is impossible to bridge.
A resident of Pahargarh village, 39 year-old Siayaram, said he is a TB patient but is not getting medicines from the government hospital. "I've to go to Morena where I'm getting treatment at a private hospital," he said. Mamta, 20, also gets her tuberculosis medicines worth about Rs 500 every ten days from a private hospital in Morena.
"It is true that many people are unable to get the treatment in government hospitals as government hospitals are only doing the formality of DOTS programme. They want to do minimum work. These problems will increase with the increase in number of patients. Therefore they want to keep the number of patients at a minimum", said Sharma.
The situation is similar in the Sihona block, which has about 1300 TB patients. Although there is a community health centre in the village, the facilites are inadequate to cater to all the TB patients.
However, block medical officer Padmesh Upadhyay claims that TB is now fully under control. "Earlier there was little hope of a TB patient getting cured. Now it is my endeavour to start the treatment as soon as possible once the disease is detected," he said.
Another problem with the treatment of TB is that if the medicines are skipped even once then the patient has to do the entire course again. If the medicine is not taken properly at the right time then it can do more harm than good. In such a situation there is a risk of drug resistance and treatment becomes difficult, says health officials
IANS
Sunday, May 06, 2007
India's untouchable millionaire
India's untouchable millionaire makes an exclusive story in The Observer
Amelia Gentleman covers Hari Pippal of Agra rags to riches story
here is what she writes -
As a child, Hari Pippal slept alongside his six sisters and eight brothers on a stretch of pavement. As a teenager, he pedalled a bicycle rickshaw to help feed the family. Now the owner of a large, profitable private hospital, a shoe factory, a motorbike dealership and a successful restaurant, Hari Pippal has become a symbol of the enormous possibilities available in new India to anyone with entrepreneurial flair.
The fact that this self-made millionaire has risen to the top despite being a Dalit (an untouchable) has prompted some to promote his achievements as proof that, as India races towards economic transformation, a more egalitarian society is emerging. Magazines feature him as a Dalit success story. Pippal, however, is uneasy with his status as poster boy for a casteless modern India. He believes his triumphs have come in spite of his caste and warns that, as India becomes richer, caste divisions are becoming ever more pronounced. At the headquarters of his business empire, he said: 'As a rule India's economic boom is only enjoyed by high-caste people. This is a great tragedy for India, because so much talent is being excluded. I feel real despair.'
The Hindu concept of untouchability was abolished in 1950, but the challenge of eradicating prejudices dating back thousands of years has defeated successive governments. Last week in Delhi the issue of caste-related inequalities divided politicians as they argued over the merits of extending affirmative action programmes in universities for backward castes. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has compared the caste system to apartheid South Africa. 'Untouchability is not just social discrimination; it is a blot on humanity,' he said.
Pippal believes that the government needs to force the blossoming corporate sector to introduce positive discrimination schemes of the kind which have existed in the public sector for decades.
'The government believes the scheduled caste [the official term for Dalits] is coming up, that the caste system is disappearing. That is wrong. The gap between the scheduled castes and the higher castes is increasing,' Pippal said. 'Lower castes are still very poor. Without money it's hard to take advantage of the new opportunities, so they stay poor and everyone else gets richer.'
Pippal became conscious of his status on the first day at school. His teachers would mutter in his direction: 'You people are ill-educated, badly dressed and don't know how to behave'. Consigned to do the jobs no one else wants - latrine-cleaners and roadsweepers - Dalits have traditionally been forbidden from touching the food or water of upper castes. Pippal, 56, remembers how teachers would never ask him to bring them water or invite him to eat with them, as they did other higher-caste pupils.
'I responded by deciding I had to be better than the others - cleverer, better dressed, better behaved, more successful,' he said. But the snubs and subtle insults have lasted a lifetime. His surname identifies him as a Dalit, so when he opened his first company he called it 'People's Export' - which sounded about the same, but did not have the same negative connotations.
When he opened his hospital in 2004, it was difficult to recruit high-caste doctors, many of whom would not contemplate working under him. Because the hospital, a few kilometres from the Taj Mahal, swiftly gained a reputation, attitudes changed and he now employs 25 upper-caste doctors. Even now, several of the Dalit doctors avoid revealing their surname, relying on initials so that they don't alarm higher-caste patients.
When the oldest of his five sons said that he was engaged to a girl from a higher caste, Pippal was happy that his son had found someone he loved. Her parents, too, made no objection to the match, but a few days later about 100 people from her community arrived at Pippal's flat, threatening to kill the girl's parents if the marriage went ahead. 'I told my son that he would destroy their whole family if he persisted in the marriage, and he understood,' Pippal said. The son recently married a Dalit doctor from his father's hospital. 'Now I believe my children should marry within their caste. It's better that way.'
India has a number of Dalit role models who have battled their way to the top. This year KG Balakrishnan was sworn in as chief justice of India, the first Dalit to hold the post. Narendra Jadhav, the chief economist of India's central bank, is a Dalit. Yet the social mobility which usually accompanies rapid economic growth has barely touched this 150 million-strong community, the bulk of whom remain deprived and oppressed. Dalits die sooner and are more likely to be malnourished, unemployed and murdered than others.
Pippal knows how exceptional his life has been when he meets his contemporaries from primary school. 'All of my school friends of my caste are still sitting on a pavement making shoes,' he said. 'They are angry with the system, but what can they do?'
Amelia Gentleman covers Hari Pippal of Agra rags to riches story
here is what she writes -
As a child, Hari Pippal slept alongside his six sisters and eight brothers on a stretch of pavement. As a teenager, he pedalled a bicycle rickshaw to help feed the family. Now the owner of a large, profitable private hospital, a shoe factory, a motorbike dealership and a successful restaurant, Hari Pippal has become a symbol of the enormous possibilities available in new India to anyone with entrepreneurial flair.
The fact that this self-made millionaire has risen to the top despite being a Dalit (an untouchable) has prompted some to promote his achievements as proof that, as India races towards economic transformation, a more egalitarian society is emerging. Magazines feature him as a Dalit success story. Pippal, however, is uneasy with his status as poster boy for a casteless modern India. He believes his triumphs have come in spite of his caste and warns that, as India becomes richer, caste divisions are becoming ever more pronounced. At the headquarters of his business empire, he said: 'As a rule India's economic boom is only enjoyed by high-caste people. This is a great tragedy for India, because so much talent is being excluded. I feel real despair.'
The Hindu concept of untouchability was abolished in 1950, but the challenge of eradicating prejudices dating back thousands of years has defeated successive governments. Last week in Delhi the issue of caste-related inequalities divided politicians as they argued over the merits of extending affirmative action programmes in universities for backward castes. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has compared the caste system to apartheid South Africa. 'Untouchability is not just social discrimination; it is a blot on humanity,' he said.
Pippal believes that the government needs to force the blossoming corporate sector to introduce positive discrimination schemes of the kind which have existed in the public sector for decades.
'The government believes the scheduled caste [the official term for Dalits] is coming up, that the caste system is disappearing. That is wrong. The gap between the scheduled castes and the higher castes is increasing,' Pippal said. 'Lower castes are still very poor. Without money it's hard to take advantage of the new opportunities, so they stay poor and everyone else gets richer.'
Pippal became conscious of his status on the first day at school. His teachers would mutter in his direction: 'You people are ill-educated, badly dressed and don't know how to behave'. Consigned to do the jobs no one else wants - latrine-cleaners and roadsweepers - Dalits have traditionally been forbidden from touching the food or water of upper castes. Pippal, 56, remembers how teachers would never ask him to bring them water or invite him to eat with them, as they did other higher-caste pupils.
'I responded by deciding I had to be better than the others - cleverer, better dressed, better behaved, more successful,' he said. But the snubs and subtle insults have lasted a lifetime. His surname identifies him as a Dalit, so when he opened his first company he called it 'People's Export' - which sounded about the same, but did not have the same negative connotations.
When he opened his hospital in 2004, it was difficult to recruit high-caste doctors, many of whom would not contemplate working under him. Because the hospital, a few kilometres from the Taj Mahal, swiftly gained a reputation, attitudes changed and he now employs 25 upper-caste doctors. Even now, several of the Dalit doctors avoid revealing their surname, relying on initials so that they don't alarm higher-caste patients.
When the oldest of his five sons said that he was engaged to a girl from a higher caste, Pippal was happy that his son had found someone he loved. Her parents, too, made no objection to the match, but a few days later about 100 people from her community arrived at Pippal's flat, threatening to kill the girl's parents if the marriage went ahead. 'I told my son that he would destroy their whole family if he persisted in the marriage, and he understood,' Pippal said. The son recently married a Dalit doctor from his father's hospital. 'Now I believe my children should marry within their caste. It's better that way.'
India has a number of Dalit role models who have battled their way to the top. This year KG Balakrishnan was sworn in as chief justice of India, the first Dalit to hold the post. Narendra Jadhav, the chief economist of India's central bank, is a Dalit. Yet the social mobility which usually accompanies rapid economic growth has barely touched this 150 million-strong community, the bulk of whom remain deprived and oppressed. Dalits die sooner and are more likely to be malnourished, unemployed and murdered than others.
Pippal knows how exceptional his life has been when he meets his contemporaries from primary school. 'All of my school friends of my caste are still sitting on a pavement making shoes,' he said. 'They are angry with the system, but what can they do?'
God owns country ?
Sreelatha Menon
Kerala, lauded for being a model state in education and many development indicators, has a healthcare system that seems to be chronically ill.
Here is something good, bad and ugly.
The good thing is that Kerala’s health minister has been held answerable by a court for the deaths of 39 newborn babies in a government hospital due to hospital induced infections. In fact, the minister and seven key health officials have been charged with culpable homicide by the additional chief judicial magistrate of Thiruvananthapuram.
The bad news is the death itself of 39 babies out of the 101 births in Sri Avittam Thirunal Hospital in the state capital in the space of three months.
The ugly part is that Kerala, lauded for being a model state in education and many development indicators, has a healthcare system that seems to be chronically ill.
Last year, it was a spate of deaths due to mosquito bite. The state said it was chikungunya and the Centre said it was not.
Hence, people kept dying without anyone making up his mind what ailed the hundreds who died untended.
The poor public healthcare apparatus was exposed like never before. Now the institutional deliveries that the state can take pride in, turn out to be as bad as the absence of any such facilities, which plagues the rest of the country where 70 per cent of children are born in their homes.
In Kerala, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 99.7 per cent of babies are born in hospitals. So is that good and bad, if government hospitals offer no guarantee of infection-free neo-natal facilities?
Yet the good part cannot be underplayed. For, the deaths themselves are not shocking if one were to go by the standards of hygiene prevailing in hospitals in the rest of the country. Add to that the indifference of health authorities when these things are pointed out.
So, it is probably a positive sign that the superintendent of Sri Avittam Thirunal Hospital has been held accountable and transferred, and a court has charged the health minister, the school teacher turned politician K P Srimathy Teacher, under Sections 304 and 34 of the IPC and the Opposition as well as the media are baying for the blood of the LDF government.
An estimated 1.2 million babies die in India each year in the first month after birth, making up two-thirds of the nation’s infant mortality of 67 per thousand live births. The Government of India has set itself a target of lowering it to 30 per thousand by 2010.
Kerala has the lowest infant mortality rate of 15 per thousand births as against the all-India average of 60. But again, that is hardly good news. For, while infant mortality has been declining even in states like Orissa, in Kerala, with 91 per cent homes having electricity, 97 per cent having toilets and everything seeming otherwise rosy, the infant mortality as well as the number of underweight babies have been on the rise as per the third NFHS.
So, what is wrong with the state which provides 90 per cent of nurses for the rest of the country and a substantial number to the rest of the world?
The earlier Kerala identifies its warts and treats them, the better for its children who are otherwise the most endangered species in the rest of the country.
Kerala, lauded for being a model state in education and many development indicators, has a healthcare system that seems to be chronically ill.
Here is something good, bad and ugly.
The good thing is that Kerala’s health minister has been held answerable by a court for the deaths of 39 newborn babies in a government hospital due to hospital induced infections. In fact, the minister and seven key health officials have been charged with culpable homicide by the additional chief judicial magistrate of Thiruvananthapuram.
The bad news is the death itself of 39 babies out of the 101 births in Sri Avittam Thirunal Hospital in the state capital in the space of three months.
The ugly part is that Kerala, lauded for being a model state in education and many development indicators, has a healthcare system that seems to be chronically ill.
Last year, it was a spate of deaths due to mosquito bite. The state said it was chikungunya and the Centre said it was not.
Hence, people kept dying without anyone making up his mind what ailed the hundreds who died untended.
The poor public healthcare apparatus was exposed like never before. Now the institutional deliveries that the state can take pride in, turn out to be as bad as the absence of any such facilities, which plagues the rest of the country where 70 per cent of children are born in their homes.
In Kerala, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 99.7 per cent of babies are born in hospitals. So is that good and bad, if government hospitals offer no guarantee of infection-free neo-natal facilities?
Yet the good part cannot be underplayed. For, the deaths themselves are not shocking if one were to go by the standards of hygiene prevailing in hospitals in the rest of the country. Add to that the indifference of health authorities when these things are pointed out.
So, it is probably a positive sign that the superintendent of Sri Avittam Thirunal Hospital has been held accountable and transferred, and a court has charged the health minister, the school teacher turned politician K P Srimathy Teacher, under Sections 304 and 34 of the IPC and the Opposition as well as the media are baying for the blood of the LDF government.
An estimated 1.2 million babies die in India each year in the first month after birth, making up two-thirds of the nation’s infant mortality of 67 per thousand live births. The Government of India has set itself a target of lowering it to 30 per thousand by 2010.
Kerala has the lowest infant mortality rate of 15 per thousand births as against the all-India average of 60. But again, that is hardly good news. For, while infant mortality has been declining even in states like Orissa, in Kerala, with 91 per cent homes having electricity, 97 per cent having toilets and everything seeming otherwise rosy, the infant mortality as well as the number of underweight babies have been on the rise as per the third NFHS.
So, what is wrong with the state which provides 90 per cent of nurses for the rest of the country and a substantial number to the rest of the world?
The earlier Kerala identifies its warts and treats them, the better for its children who are otherwise the most endangered species in the rest of the country.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Save the 'Witches'
by Shuriah Niazi
Women in the tribal villages of the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh are victims of superstition. Take the case of Bhuri Bai (38) of Baman village in Jhabua district. Last year, she was brutally beaten before being paraded through the village. Ironically, the culprits knew her well: they were her neighbours of many years. Strangely enough, they had been led into believing that she was a witch.Bhuri Bai is no exception: every year, a number of similar cases emerge from the state. Yet, what is most baffling is that such cases find a quiet mention in government records. Even the attitude of the police is disappointing. According to villagers, what the police encourage is that they settle the matter mutually.
Bhuri Bai's misery began when an 'ojha' (sorcerer) declared her responsible for the death of a child. After the boy's last rites, a piece of flesh was said to have been found near the pyre. The village 'ojha' lost no time in blaming Bhuri Bai and instigating the villagers to attack her. Her husband, Keshav, barely managed to save her from their deathblows.There are others who have not been so fortunate. According to police records, of the last three years, 22 women were branded witches and beaten to death, in Jhabua district alone. Elaborates social worker Rahul Kumar (34), "Witchcraft is common to the Jhabua, Dhar and Khargone districts, and women are usually treated as animals. Victims are afraid to lodge a police complaint, fearing retaliation. After all, they have to live in the same village, amidst their tormentors."Some time ago, Rahul Kumar, along with a group of people and women victims, called on the then Jhabua Superintendent of Police (SP), Umesh Joga, with a written memorandum, urging him to tackle the menace. However, the SP said that he could take up the issue only when a FIR was lodged against the perpetrators.Belief in witchcraft is not uncommon in the districts of Rajgarh, Khargone, Badwani and Jhabua where 'ojha's boast of their powers to detect a witch - albeit for a price. Villagers simply need to cough up a goat, a bottle of wine or fowl to make an 'ojha' smell a witch. Unfortunately, in this quid pro quo scheme of things, the villagers fail to smell a rat. Shyam Singh (37), from village Pisnaval, believes in the existence of witches. He also feels that only an 'ojha' has the 'cure' for the 'condition'.While Inspector Anirud Prasad in village Bamania reiterates that the police have nabbed sorcerers and are pro active, social activists believe that the police only responds to untoward incidents, rather than nipping things in the bud as is required.Congress worker and social activist Amitabh Shukla from Pisnaval village of Badwani district reveals, "In most cases, women are so humiliated that they cannot continue to live in their village." In fact, the family of the mobbed woman also ends up living like outcasts and soon after her death many are forced to flee their village.While 'ojha's cast their spell over villagers, creating a sense of fear and insecurity through their hogwash talk of black magic, witchcraft, and superstition, the real reasons why women are branded witches is plain economics or sex.Women who shun sexual advances of their neighbours are often made to pay a heavy price: the spurned and avenging man can have the woman declared a witch and, subsequently, get them shunned from society with the connivance of a greedy 'ojha'. Widows, who refuse to relinquish claim over their husband's property, can similarly be compelled into compliance.
Witch hunting is widespread in Madhya Pradesh, but is more dominant in the tribal-dominated areas of the state. Explains Rajjo Malviya, member, State Women Commission, "The people of the area are uneducated... The sorcerers are taking advantage of this."Kusum Mahdele, state minister for Women and Child Development, assured that the government was working towards ending the evil. "...It is expected that a law will soon be put in place," she said.
While government data puts the deaths at around 90, it is estimated that many more 'witches' have been killed during the last three years in the region. Several deaths have gone unreported, while superstition may not have been cited as the cause for others.
Women in the tribal villages of the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh are victims of superstition. Take the case of Bhuri Bai (38) of Baman village in Jhabua district. Last year, she was brutally beaten before being paraded through the village. Ironically, the culprits knew her well: they were her neighbours of many years. Strangely enough, they had been led into believing that she was a witch.Bhuri Bai is no exception: every year, a number of similar cases emerge from the state. Yet, what is most baffling is that such cases find a quiet mention in government records. Even the attitude of the police is disappointing. According to villagers, what the police encourage is that they settle the matter mutually.
Bhuri Bai's misery began when an 'ojha' (sorcerer) declared her responsible for the death of a child. After the boy's last rites, a piece of flesh was said to have been found near the pyre. The village 'ojha' lost no time in blaming Bhuri Bai and instigating the villagers to attack her. Her husband, Keshav, barely managed to save her from their deathblows.There are others who have not been so fortunate. According to police records, of the last three years, 22 women were branded witches and beaten to death, in Jhabua district alone. Elaborates social worker Rahul Kumar (34), "Witchcraft is common to the Jhabua, Dhar and Khargone districts, and women are usually treated as animals. Victims are afraid to lodge a police complaint, fearing retaliation. After all, they have to live in the same village, amidst their tormentors."Some time ago, Rahul Kumar, along with a group of people and women victims, called on the then Jhabua Superintendent of Police (SP), Umesh Joga, with a written memorandum, urging him to tackle the menace. However, the SP said that he could take up the issue only when a FIR was lodged against the perpetrators.Belief in witchcraft is not uncommon in the districts of Rajgarh, Khargone, Badwani and Jhabua where 'ojha's boast of their powers to detect a witch - albeit for a price. Villagers simply need to cough up a goat, a bottle of wine or fowl to make an 'ojha' smell a witch. Unfortunately, in this quid pro quo scheme of things, the villagers fail to smell a rat. Shyam Singh (37), from village Pisnaval, believes in the existence of witches. He also feels that only an 'ojha' has the 'cure' for the 'condition'.While Inspector Anirud Prasad in village Bamania reiterates that the police have nabbed sorcerers and are pro active, social activists believe that the police only responds to untoward incidents, rather than nipping things in the bud as is required.Congress worker and social activist Amitabh Shukla from Pisnaval village of Badwani district reveals, "In most cases, women are so humiliated that they cannot continue to live in their village." In fact, the family of the mobbed woman also ends up living like outcasts and soon after her death many are forced to flee their village.While 'ojha's cast their spell over villagers, creating a sense of fear and insecurity through their hogwash talk of black magic, witchcraft, and superstition, the real reasons why women are branded witches is plain economics or sex.Women who shun sexual advances of their neighbours are often made to pay a heavy price: the spurned and avenging man can have the woman declared a witch and, subsequently, get them shunned from society with the connivance of a greedy 'ojha'. Widows, who refuse to relinquish claim over their husband's property, can similarly be compelled into compliance.
Witch hunting is widespread in Madhya Pradesh, but is more dominant in the tribal-dominated areas of the state. Explains Rajjo Malviya, member, State Women Commission, "The people of the area are uneducated... The sorcerers are taking advantage of this."Kusum Mahdele, state minister for Women and Child Development, assured that the government was working towards ending the evil. "...It is expected that a law will soon be put in place," she said.
While government data puts the deaths at around 90, it is estimated that many more 'witches' have been killed during the last three years in the region. Several deaths have gone unreported, while superstition may not have been cited as the cause for others.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Court says no to plea for bhopal gas victims
The Supreme Court has turned down a plea by various NGOs and individuals for enhanced compensation to victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
The petitions had sought a nearly fivefold increase in the $470 million compensation, stating that it was inadequate and several victims had not received the amount.The Bhopal tragedy had taken place on the intervening night of Dec 2-3, 1984 as poisonous methyl isocyanate gas escaped from the Union Carbide factory killing thousands. A petition by the Bhopal Gas Mahila Pidita Sangh had claimed that more people than originally believed had died in the tragedy so more compensation should be given to the victims. SC also said that the people who have been adversely affected by the tragedy should approach the tribunal in Bhopal. The compensation amount paid to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 was $478 million (approx 1,955 crore). Last month the Centre had requested the SC to close down the compensation claims of over 14,000 victims after the efforts to trace them failed.
This is unfortunate decision said an activist working in the area and it is denial of thier right he added
The petitions had sought a nearly fivefold increase in the $470 million compensation, stating that it was inadequate and several victims had not received the amount.The Bhopal tragedy had taken place on the intervening night of Dec 2-3, 1984 as poisonous methyl isocyanate gas escaped from the Union Carbide factory killing thousands. A petition by the Bhopal Gas Mahila Pidita Sangh had claimed that more people than originally believed had died in the tragedy so more compensation should be given to the victims. SC also said that the people who have been adversely affected by the tragedy should approach the tribunal in Bhopal. The compensation amount paid to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 was $478 million (approx 1,955 crore). Last month the Centre had requested the SC to close down the compensation claims of over 14,000 victims after the efforts to trace them failed.
This is unfortunate decision said an activist working in the area and it is denial of thier right he added
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
New syllabus for High School and Higher Secondary exams in MP
Bhopal, Apr 30: The Madhya Pradesh Government is implementing new syllabus for high school and higher secondary school students from 2007-08.Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education Secretary D D Agrawal said the new syllabus had been prepared for providing better competitive opportunities to students.The new syllabus would be implemented for class IX and XI in 2007-08 and for class X and XII in 2008-09.Referring the to specialties in the new syllabus, he said besides language subjects, students could choose from mathematics, computer, application book-keeping and accountancy. Mr Agrawal said this would help students improve their skills besides making them eligible for appearing in Pre-Medical Test and Pre-Engineering Test.Likewise, higher secondary students can study vocational subjects as a part of group along with mathematics and other main subjects.He said only one book would be prescribed for language subject instead of special and general language papers.
released by UNI
released by UNI
Monday, April 30, 2007
Corruption and health services
The India Corruption Study has classified Indian states into high, medium and low performance, based on the UNDP composite health indicator. Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra, with low levels of corruption have better health indicators and fall in the first category. Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Orissa belong to the medium performance category, while West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have the worst health indicators and belong to the last category.
Key findings – snapshot
Total monetary value of petty corruption put at Rs 2,017 crore a year
59% of rural and 51% of urban households sought services of government hospitals. All India figure: 55% (11.3 crore) households
Of those who interact with government hospitals, 26.5% (3 crore households) paid bribes – 19% in rural areas, 49% in urban; average bribe paid per household: Rs 663
Irregularities like non-availability of medicines and unethical practices by doctors are much lower in southern parts of the country
43% of respondents felt quality of service in government hospitals was poor. In low performance states, 53% felt service was poor.
67% felt corruption was widespread in government hospitals.
45% said hospital staff frequently demanded bribes
Use of services
Location of Households using Government hospitals
Urban- 51%
Rural -59%
Overall- 57%
In Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal, a significantly higher percentage of people was availing the services of government hospitals. In Bihar, considerably lower number of people were availing the services of government hospitals.
Is There Harassment?
In low performance states, only 38% of the respondents received treatment or consultation compared to 66% in the high performance states. Overall 23% said they did not receive any treatment or consultation during a visit to a government hospital
Reasons for repeated visits
Doctor not available in previous visit-39%
Failed to get appointment -21%
Admission to ward not available-14%
Operation theatre was not free-13%
Diagnostic lab failed to take sample -12%
Perceptions about Government Hospitals
Service: Perception about quality of services
Very Poor-13%
Poor-30%
Neither Poor/ Nor Good-26%
Good-28%
Very Good -3%
Prevalence of Corruption
There is widespread corruption in hospitals
Strongly Disagree- 6%
Disagree Somewhat- 9%
Neither Agree Nor Disagree- 18%
Agree Somewhat- 38%
Strongly Agree- 29%
In the high performance states, 62% felt that there was corruption in government hospitals, against 77% in the low performance states.
Common Irregularities
Medicines unavailable- 52%
Doctors suggest a visit to their private clinic -37%
Doctors refer to private diagnostic centers-31%
Over-prescription of medicines-24%
Bribes demanded by staff-20%
Diagnostic tests are done even when unnecessary-18%
Doctors are absent-13%
In low performance states, 66% said medicines were never available in government, against 29% in the high performance states. Possible reasons: genuine shortage, diversion of medicines to private medical shops, doctors deliberately prescribing medicines which were not available in the dispensary. Long waiting time for getting consultation or treatment is might basically be due to low capacity of the hospitals, but creates an opportunity for corruption by giving hospital staff the power to provide required service out-of-turn, and for doctors to ask patients to get diagnostic tests from a particular private laboratory, which pays them referral commission.
One study says: overall, 63.33% of the prescriptions were found to be irrational (i.e. flouting established norms of treatment). This figure was the highest for prescriptions from unqualified sources (81.8%) like registered medical practitioners, and lowest (44.44%) for public sector hospitals. In southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, these irregularities exist at a much lower scale
Experience of Interaction with Hospitals
Ways to bypass normal process
By paying bribes -54%
By using influence- 42%
Middlemen- 5%
Reasons for Using Alternative Process
Save time- 38%
Could just not get work done in normal way- 23%
To get better care and treatment- 39%
30% of respondents had to take recourse to “alternative methods” like paying bribe or using influence, to get faster (out of turn) treatment and for better care (like consultation with senior doctor, not juniors, clean bed-sheets and better food for in-patients).
Though the system is largely free of middlemen, there were cases of people going to middlemen (mostly hospital staff or ex-staff or their relatives). In the low performance states, the prevalence of bribery is higher than in the high performance states.
What do people pay bribe for?
To get medicines- 29%
To get admission- 22%
For consultation or treatment -17%
To avail diagnostic services -13%
For operation- 11%
For blood- 7%
Getting proper food- 1%
Who Gets the Bribe?
Doctor-18%
Other hospital staff- 75%
Middlemen- 7%
Service Providers’ Perspective
Pressure on infrastructure: Despite capacity constraints Govt hospitals are forced to admit patients because of pressure from co-doctors or local politicians. So, the hospital is almost always working beyond capacity, resulting in low quality of service.
Lack of resources: Lack of resources/funds often means diagnostic instruments are not in working condition, forcing doctors to ask patients to get tests done from private laboratories.
High workload: Acute shortage of manpower hence, they are not able to attend to all the patients, resulting in long queues and delays
False charges of negligence: People come to the government hospital as a last resort, after trying to get treatment in local nursing homes or doctors, by which time, in most cases, the patient’s condition is critical. Any adverse eventuality is blamed as negligence on the part of the hospital.
RKS model of Madhya Pradesh: appears to be sound.
Suggestions to reduce corruption
Users’ Committees should be constituted to take up citizens’ grievances.
Provision of diagnostic services: The diagnostic services can be outsourced to private players, where they receive payment from government on per-patient basis. This is already being conducted to some extent in some hospitals in Delhi.
Medicine supply: Patients often fail to get medicines from government dispensaries, either due to actual shortage or diversion of supplies. To check for the second possibility government dispensaries should display the drugs received every month and furnish daily stock position.
Key findings – snapshot
Total monetary value of petty corruption put at Rs 2,017 crore a year
59% of rural and 51% of urban households sought services of government hospitals. All India figure: 55% (11.3 crore) households
Of those who interact with government hospitals, 26.5% (3 crore households) paid bribes – 19% in rural areas, 49% in urban; average bribe paid per household: Rs 663
Irregularities like non-availability of medicines and unethical practices by doctors are much lower in southern parts of the country
43% of respondents felt quality of service in government hospitals was poor. In low performance states, 53% felt service was poor.
67% felt corruption was widespread in government hospitals.
45% said hospital staff frequently demanded bribes
Use of services
Location of Households using Government hospitals
Urban- 51%
Rural -59%
Overall- 57%
In Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal, a significantly higher percentage of people was availing the services of government hospitals. In Bihar, considerably lower number of people were availing the services of government hospitals.
Is There Harassment?
In low performance states, only 38% of the respondents received treatment or consultation compared to 66% in the high performance states. Overall 23% said they did not receive any treatment or consultation during a visit to a government hospital
Reasons for repeated visits
Doctor not available in previous visit-39%
Failed to get appointment -21%
Admission to ward not available-14%
Operation theatre was not free-13%
Diagnostic lab failed to take sample -12%
Perceptions about Government Hospitals
Service: Perception about quality of services
Very Poor-13%
Poor-30%
Neither Poor/ Nor Good-26%
Good-28%
Very Good -3%
Prevalence of Corruption
There is widespread corruption in hospitals
Strongly Disagree- 6%
Disagree Somewhat- 9%
Neither Agree Nor Disagree- 18%
Agree Somewhat- 38%
Strongly Agree- 29%
In the high performance states, 62% felt that there was corruption in government hospitals, against 77% in the low performance states.
Common Irregularities
Medicines unavailable- 52%
Doctors suggest a visit to their private clinic -37%
Doctors refer to private diagnostic centers-31%
Over-prescription of medicines-24%
Bribes demanded by staff-20%
Diagnostic tests are done even when unnecessary-18%
Doctors are absent-13%
In low performance states, 66% said medicines were never available in government, against 29% in the high performance states. Possible reasons: genuine shortage, diversion of medicines to private medical shops, doctors deliberately prescribing medicines which were not available in the dispensary. Long waiting time for getting consultation or treatment is might basically be due to low capacity of the hospitals, but creates an opportunity for corruption by giving hospital staff the power to provide required service out-of-turn, and for doctors to ask patients to get diagnostic tests from a particular private laboratory, which pays them referral commission.
One study says: overall, 63.33% of the prescriptions were found to be irrational (i.e. flouting established norms of treatment). This figure was the highest for prescriptions from unqualified sources (81.8%) like registered medical practitioners, and lowest (44.44%) for public sector hospitals. In southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, these irregularities exist at a much lower scale
Experience of Interaction with Hospitals
Ways to bypass normal process
By paying bribes -54%
By using influence- 42%
Middlemen- 5%
Reasons for Using Alternative Process
Save time- 38%
Could just not get work done in normal way- 23%
To get better care and treatment- 39%
30% of respondents had to take recourse to “alternative methods” like paying bribe or using influence, to get faster (out of turn) treatment and for better care (like consultation with senior doctor, not juniors, clean bed-sheets and better food for in-patients).
Though the system is largely free of middlemen, there were cases of people going to middlemen (mostly hospital staff or ex-staff or their relatives). In the low performance states, the prevalence of bribery is higher than in the high performance states.
What do people pay bribe for?
To get medicines- 29%
To get admission- 22%
For consultation or treatment -17%
To avail diagnostic services -13%
For operation- 11%
For blood- 7%
Getting proper food- 1%
Who Gets the Bribe?
Doctor-18%
Other hospital staff- 75%
Middlemen- 7%
Service Providers’ Perspective
Pressure on infrastructure: Despite capacity constraints Govt hospitals are forced to admit patients because of pressure from co-doctors or local politicians. So, the hospital is almost always working beyond capacity, resulting in low quality of service.
Lack of resources: Lack of resources/funds often means diagnostic instruments are not in working condition, forcing doctors to ask patients to get tests done from private laboratories.
High workload: Acute shortage of manpower hence, they are not able to attend to all the patients, resulting in long queues and delays
False charges of negligence: People come to the government hospital as a last resort, after trying to get treatment in local nursing homes or doctors, by which time, in most cases, the patient’s condition is critical. Any adverse eventuality is blamed as negligence on the part of the hospital.
RKS model of Madhya Pradesh: appears to be sound.
Suggestions to reduce corruption
Users’ Committees should be constituted to take up citizens’ grievances.
Provision of diagnostic services: The diagnostic services can be outsourced to private players, where they receive payment from government on per-patient basis. This is already being conducted to some extent in some hospitals in Delhi.
Medicine supply: Patients often fail to get medicines from government dispensaries, either due to actual shortage or diversion of supplies. To check for the second possibility government dispensaries should display the drugs received every month and furnish daily stock position.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
71 % people in bhopal suffer with heartburn
Heartburn is a painful or burning sensation in the oesophagus, caused by the regurgitation of gastric acid. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat but has nothing to do with the heart. It is so called because of a burning sensation of the breastbone, although some heart problems have a similar sensation to heartburn. If left untreated, it can lead to ulcers or bleeding of the oesophagus and may be at later stage to cancer of the food pipe. As per the study conducted in eight cities by Health Care Welfare Society (HCWS) of Ahmedabad, among 400 respondents in these cities aged between 25-55 years, who reported heartburn or acidity at least once a month. People of Bhopal reported 71 % prevalence of the heartburn which was among highest three. Delhi recorded the highest at 82 per cent and others were as follows –
1. Kolkata 68 per cent
2. Lucknow 65 per cent
3. Mumbai 75 per cent
4. Chennai 66 per cent
5. Ahmedabad 68 per cent
6. Hyderabad 72 per cent
Irregular timing of meals was found to be a major cause for the ailment. The survey had over 57 per cent of respondents blaming irregular eating habits as the main reason for their frequent bouts of heartburn. As per HCWS heartburn is becoming the single most important factor behind the rise in gastro oesophageal reflux disease, which is at present affecting three out of every five urban Indians.
blog news network
Efforts Underway to Fight Alcoholism Among Tribals
Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh), G. Sreedathan, IANS
Chendu, a tribal from Alirajpur in Jhabua district, beat his wife to death. Reason? She asked him to stop drinking. In the same block, another young man killed his brother with an arrow when the latter tried to extract toddy from the palm trees owned by him. Often the reasons for murders or fatal assaults here are as mundane as someone's hen entering the neighbour's territory or someone's refusal to lend a 'bidi' (leaf rolled cigarette) to a friend. In all these crimes, either the killer or the victim or both are high on alcohol, reports Grassroots features.
Alcoholism is taking a heavy toll on the socio-economic life of the tribal population. According to an official from the department of tribal development, the age-old problem of excessive drinking in tribal areas is affecting the new generation too. "One can see teenagers brewing 'arrack' (local brew) in front of their houses. There is lack of conscious effort from the community to prevent youngsters from becoming hard-core addicts," he said. This reflects on the literacy rate and high dropout percentage in the district, the highest in the state. "The attendance in schools also comes down especially during October to March when toddy tapping starts in certain regions of the district. Several students show up for classes drunk while others sneak off for a nip or two of toddy from the nearby palm groves," said Sanjay Solanki, a teacher. Efforts are underway to counter alcoholism among tribals, though the progress is not very encouraging. Since alcoholism is also associated with starvation and unemployment, the district administration tried an innovative method to make use of toddy to generate gainful employment. The project started in November 2004 in Bhavari village in Alirajpur. "We gave training to one Bhim Singh and his family, who owned 10 toddy palms, to make palm gur (sugar) out of toddy," said Rajkumar Pathak, the district collector of Jhabua. The logic of the administration was - a family with 10 toddy palms involved in making gur can earn up to Rs.16,000 a season, while through sale of toddy it can earn only less than half that amount. The officials in the district administration thought that since gur making was more profitable, more and more tribals would change over from the toddy business. "This would not only improve their financial situation but also reduce the number of crimes in the area," said Pathak. However, this did not happen. Although Bhim Singh is very happy with his newfound enterprise, there are not many takers for it among his community. The district administration has managed to convince only three more families to pursue gur-making. One reason for the failure of this project was the tribals' love for toddy. "No one wants to leave toddy," said Shankar of Khedut. But many people feel that if effective marketing strategies were in place the new enterprise could have done better. In states like Orissa and Karnataka, it is catching up well.Despite the setback in the gur-making project, the district administration has not lost hope. It is encouraging tribals to sell fresh, unfermented toddy for making 'neera', a health drink. Unfermented toddy is very sweet and healthy. But fermented toddy contains 50-60 percent alcohol, making it a highly intoxicating beverage. "We are working on this project. Our effort is to encourage more and more people to sell toddy for making neera so that there is a shortage of toddy for making alcohol," said Pathak. The administration has approached the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for processing and marketing neera.Sources in KVIC say that it is working on the proposal. With suitable technological intervention as prescribed by the Pune-based National Chemical Laboratory, neera's shelf life can be enhanced to six months. "Neera contains a number of minerals and salts; acids like ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid and riboflavin; proteins and vitamin C. It has less calorific value, apart from being sweet and delicious.
It can give mineral water a run for its money," said A.K. Sharan of KVIC.According to Sharan, neera can enhance the income of a farmer. One palm tree yields four litres of toddy a day. So if a farmer has 100 trees it would become 400 litres. The same could be sold at the rate of Rs.10 a litre, amounting to Rs.600,000 for the season lasting five months. Although it makes a lot of economic sense, weaning away the tribals from the toddy business is an onerous task. "It all depends on the commitment on the part of the administration. If the government really wants to counter alcoholism then it should stop promoting foreign liquor also," said Shankar.
Alcoholism is linked to high incidences of crime in the district. According to the state crime records bureau, in 2005 there were 124 murders in the district -- the highest among all districts in the state. "In more than 50 percent cases, alcohol was a factor," said Avinash Sharma, the assistant superintendent of police, Jhabua. "Tribals are very simple people. But once they consume alcohol they get violent even on trivial issues and use fatal weapons against each other."The crime rates are very high in certain blocks, especially Alirajpur and Jobat. Toddy palms are found in abundance in these blocks. A survey by the Adivasi Sewa Shikshan Samiti in 2004 revealed that 10 percent of the tribal population in the district could be termed "heavy drinkers". About 80 percent of the addicts in the district are below poverty line. "An average tribal family spends between 60-70 percent of its income on alcohol. It was found that if a person is a 'desi' (local) liquor addict, he spends a minimum of Rs.400 a month on it. But for a person addicted to foreign liquor, his bills touch up to Rs.3,000-3,500 a month," said Benedict Damor, secretary of the samiti. Even poor families spend huge amounts - to the tune of Rs.25,000-30,000 on alcohol alone during marriages.
The alcohol industry is the only flourishing business in this district. In 2007, the contract for the sale of liquor in Jhabua district was auctioned at Rs.100 million. For Jhabua, where 47 percent of the population is below the poverty line and 85 percent is tribal, this is a huge sum. The officials in the excise department say the turnover from the sale would be anywhere between three to four times this amount. Besides, toddy and desi liquor (almost like a cottage industry) are available freely and cheaply. However, Benedict Damor, who campaigned extensively against alcoholism, feels that prohibition is not a solution to this problem. "Alcohol is an integral part of tribal culture. But consuming alcohol as part of rituals or festivities is different from alcoholism. Alcoholism is linked to illiteracy, impoverishment and many other factors. But there should be a concerted effort from within the community to do away with such evils and to return to our roots," he said.
Chendu, a tribal from Alirajpur in Jhabua district, beat his wife to death. Reason? She asked him to stop drinking. In the same block, another young man killed his brother with an arrow when the latter tried to extract toddy from the palm trees owned by him. Often the reasons for murders or fatal assaults here are as mundane as someone's hen entering the neighbour's territory or someone's refusal to lend a 'bidi' (leaf rolled cigarette) to a friend. In all these crimes, either the killer or the victim or both are high on alcohol, reports Grassroots features.
Alcoholism is taking a heavy toll on the socio-economic life of the tribal population. According to an official from the department of tribal development, the age-old problem of excessive drinking in tribal areas is affecting the new generation too. "One can see teenagers brewing 'arrack' (local brew) in front of their houses. There is lack of conscious effort from the community to prevent youngsters from becoming hard-core addicts," he said. This reflects on the literacy rate and high dropout percentage in the district, the highest in the state. "The attendance in schools also comes down especially during October to March when toddy tapping starts in certain regions of the district. Several students show up for classes drunk while others sneak off for a nip or two of toddy from the nearby palm groves," said Sanjay Solanki, a teacher. Efforts are underway to counter alcoholism among tribals, though the progress is not very encouraging. Since alcoholism is also associated with starvation and unemployment, the district administration tried an innovative method to make use of toddy to generate gainful employment. The project started in November 2004 in Bhavari village in Alirajpur. "We gave training to one Bhim Singh and his family, who owned 10 toddy palms, to make palm gur (sugar) out of toddy," said Rajkumar Pathak, the district collector of Jhabua. The logic of the administration was - a family with 10 toddy palms involved in making gur can earn up to Rs.16,000 a season, while through sale of toddy it can earn only less than half that amount. The officials in the district administration thought that since gur making was more profitable, more and more tribals would change over from the toddy business. "This would not only improve their financial situation but also reduce the number of crimes in the area," said Pathak. However, this did not happen. Although Bhim Singh is very happy with his newfound enterprise, there are not many takers for it among his community. The district administration has managed to convince only three more families to pursue gur-making. One reason for the failure of this project was the tribals' love for toddy. "No one wants to leave toddy," said Shankar of Khedut. But many people feel that if effective marketing strategies were in place the new enterprise could have done better. In states like Orissa and Karnataka, it is catching up well.Despite the setback in the gur-making project, the district administration has not lost hope. It is encouraging tribals to sell fresh, unfermented toddy for making 'neera', a health drink. Unfermented toddy is very sweet and healthy. But fermented toddy contains 50-60 percent alcohol, making it a highly intoxicating beverage. "We are working on this project. Our effort is to encourage more and more people to sell toddy for making neera so that there is a shortage of toddy for making alcohol," said Pathak. The administration has approached the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for processing and marketing neera.Sources in KVIC say that it is working on the proposal. With suitable technological intervention as prescribed by the Pune-based National Chemical Laboratory, neera's shelf life can be enhanced to six months. "Neera contains a number of minerals and salts; acids like ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid and riboflavin; proteins and vitamin C. It has less calorific value, apart from being sweet and delicious.
It can give mineral water a run for its money," said A.K. Sharan of KVIC.According to Sharan, neera can enhance the income of a farmer. One palm tree yields four litres of toddy a day. So if a farmer has 100 trees it would become 400 litres. The same could be sold at the rate of Rs.10 a litre, amounting to Rs.600,000 for the season lasting five months. Although it makes a lot of economic sense, weaning away the tribals from the toddy business is an onerous task. "It all depends on the commitment on the part of the administration. If the government really wants to counter alcoholism then it should stop promoting foreign liquor also," said Shankar.
Alcoholism is linked to high incidences of crime in the district. According to the state crime records bureau, in 2005 there were 124 murders in the district -- the highest among all districts in the state. "In more than 50 percent cases, alcohol was a factor," said Avinash Sharma, the assistant superintendent of police, Jhabua. "Tribals are very simple people. But once they consume alcohol they get violent even on trivial issues and use fatal weapons against each other."The crime rates are very high in certain blocks, especially Alirajpur and Jobat. Toddy palms are found in abundance in these blocks. A survey by the Adivasi Sewa Shikshan Samiti in 2004 revealed that 10 percent of the tribal population in the district could be termed "heavy drinkers". About 80 percent of the addicts in the district are below poverty line. "An average tribal family spends between 60-70 percent of its income on alcohol. It was found that if a person is a 'desi' (local) liquor addict, he spends a minimum of Rs.400 a month on it. But for a person addicted to foreign liquor, his bills touch up to Rs.3,000-3,500 a month," said Benedict Damor, secretary of the samiti. Even poor families spend huge amounts - to the tune of Rs.25,000-30,000 on alcohol alone during marriages.
The alcohol industry is the only flourishing business in this district. In 2007, the contract for the sale of liquor in Jhabua district was auctioned at Rs.100 million. For Jhabua, where 47 percent of the population is below the poverty line and 85 percent is tribal, this is a huge sum. The officials in the excise department say the turnover from the sale would be anywhere between three to four times this amount. Besides, toddy and desi liquor (almost like a cottage industry) are available freely and cheaply. However, Benedict Damor, who campaigned extensively against alcoholism, feels that prohibition is not a solution to this problem. "Alcohol is an integral part of tribal culture. But consuming alcohol as part of rituals or festivities is different from alcoholism. Alcoholism is linked to illiteracy, impoverishment and many other factors. But there should be a concerted effort from within the community to do away with such evils and to return to our roots," he said.
14-yr-old girl digs well to solve water woes
Harda (Madhya Pradesh), April 29
Exposing the Madhya Pradesh Government’s apathy on water shortage, a 14-year-old girl has dug a 22-feet deep well, so that her mother does not have to walk miles to fetch water. People in the town of Harda watched as a frail Reshma lowered herself into the well with a rope. Her efforts paid off finally when she stepped into a pool of water at the bottom of the well.
"My parents were really worried due to water shortage in the area. The lone hand pump in the area was too far off and it was always crowded. People used to fight for water. So, I thought of digging a well to resolve the crippling water shortage," says Reshma.
She worked for over seven hours a day for the last two weeks to find the water.
Hazrat Bi, Reshma's mother is the happiest of the lot. It was for her convenience that her teenage daughter decided to go ahead with the task.
"She used to dig the well one-arm deep or one and a half arm deep every day. We used to measure the depth every day. And the day the water sprung up… it was the fourteenth day…we were so happy…I almost dropped the bucket I was carrying. Even Reshma cried in happiness. All the children were really happy," said Hazrat Bi.
While Reshma's father thought the job would be too tough for his daughter, Narayan Sharma, a neighbour and family friend encouraged her to go ahead.
"I told the girl that she should go ahead and I would help her. I used to come to her every day and guide her, but she was already doing good work," said Sharma.
The shortage of water during the summer months is a perennial problem in several regions of Madhya Pradesh, and the growing population has only added to the woes. In extreme conditions, people have to draw water from small water holes. Thousands of villagers trek for miles in search of water and sometimes they even enter into a brawl. ANI
Exposing the Madhya Pradesh Government’s apathy on water shortage, a 14-year-old girl has dug a 22-feet deep well, so that her mother does not have to walk miles to fetch water. People in the town of Harda watched as a frail Reshma lowered herself into the well with a rope. Her efforts paid off finally when she stepped into a pool of water at the bottom of the well.
"My parents were really worried due to water shortage in the area. The lone hand pump in the area was too far off and it was always crowded. People used to fight for water. So, I thought of digging a well to resolve the crippling water shortage," says Reshma.
She worked for over seven hours a day for the last two weeks to find the water.
Hazrat Bi, Reshma's mother is the happiest of the lot. It was for her convenience that her teenage daughter decided to go ahead with the task.
"She used to dig the well one-arm deep or one and a half arm deep every day. We used to measure the depth every day. And the day the water sprung up… it was the fourteenth day…we were so happy…I almost dropped the bucket I was carrying. Even Reshma cried in happiness. All the children were really happy," said Hazrat Bi.
While Reshma's father thought the job would be too tough for his daughter, Narayan Sharma, a neighbour and family friend encouraged her to go ahead.
"I told the girl that she should go ahead and I would help her. I used to come to her every day and guide her, but she was already doing good work," said Sharma.
The shortage of water during the summer months is a perennial problem in several regions of Madhya Pradesh, and the growing population has only added to the woes. In extreme conditions, people have to draw water from small water holes. Thousands of villagers trek for miles in search of water and sometimes they even enter into a brawl. ANI
Saturday, April 21, 2007
No girls' toilets in over 620,000 schools in India
New Delhi: With women and child abuse being much in the news, a new study by the human resource development (HRD) ministry has revealed that over 620,000 primary and upper primary schools in India lack separate toilets for girls.
According to the survey conducted jointly by HRD ministry, UNICEF and the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NEUPA), only 37.42 percent of schools in India have girls' toilets.
"Though the percentage of schools having girls' toilets has increased from 28.24 percent in 2003 to 37.42 percent in 2006, yet the situation is quite dismal," said Arun C. Mathur, chief researcher of the report.
Among the states, Meghalaya is at the bottom of the tally with just 7.71 percent of schools having girls' toilets. Only 9.58 percent schools in Assam, 9.81 percent in Chhattisgarh, 11.69 percent in Arunachal Pradesh, 11.78 percent in Bihar and 12.4 percent schools in Orissa have separate toilets for girls.
Shockingly, the study found that less than 25 percent schools in 13 states have separate girls' toilets.
However, Chandigarh tops the chart with 89.19 percent of its schools having toilets for their female pupils. While Delhi stands second with 87.82 percent, 80 percent schools in Pondicherry and 69.41 percent schools in Uttar Pradesh have toilets for girl students.
NEUPA vice chancellor Ved Prakash said: "In the 21st century, these figures are startling. I hope the government and the private sector running these schools would take up the issue seriously. Our girls need separate toilets, and that is the reality." The survey, Elementary Education in India, covered over 1.1 million primary and upper primary schools across 604 districts of India.
Apart from toilets, tens of thousands of schools lack basic teaching facilities like blackboards and a building. Leave aside computers, a total of about 88,000 schools (nearly eight percent) in the country still do not have a blackboard in their classes.
While 36.65 percent of schools in Sikkim do not have a blackboard, nearly 26 percent in Jharkhand and 30 percent schools in Arunachal Pradesh need blackboards. In the Indian capital, 10.8 percent of schools do not have a blackboard.
However, all schools in Nagaland have blackboards. The figure is 99.5 percent in West Bengal, 99.46 in Assam and 98.61 percent in Maharashtra. As much as 97.8 percent schools in Uttar Pradesh have blackboards. Nearly five percent of schools in India don't have school buildings - and about 97 percent are government schools.
According to the survey conducted jointly by HRD ministry, UNICEF and the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NEUPA), only 37.42 percent of schools in India have girls' toilets.
"Though the percentage of schools having girls' toilets has increased from 28.24 percent in 2003 to 37.42 percent in 2006, yet the situation is quite dismal," said Arun C. Mathur, chief researcher of the report.
Among the states, Meghalaya is at the bottom of the tally with just 7.71 percent of schools having girls' toilets. Only 9.58 percent schools in Assam, 9.81 percent in Chhattisgarh, 11.69 percent in Arunachal Pradesh, 11.78 percent in Bihar and 12.4 percent schools in Orissa have separate toilets for girls.
Shockingly, the study found that less than 25 percent schools in 13 states have separate girls' toilets.
However, Chandigarh tops the chart with 89.19 percent of its schools having toilets for their female pupils. While Delhi stands second with 87.82 percent, 80 percent schools in Pondicherry and 69.41 percent schools in Uttar Pradesh have toilets for girl students.
NEUPA vice chancellor Ved Prakash said: "In the 21st century, these figures are startling. I hope the government and the private sector running these schools would take up the issue seriously. Our girls need separate toilets, and that is the reality." The survey, Elementary Education in India, covered over 1.1 million primary and upper primary schools across 604 districts of India.
Apart from toilets, tens of thousands of schools lack basic teaching facilities like blackboards and a building. Leave aside computers, a total of about 88,000 schools (nearly eight percent) in the country still do not have a blackboard in their classes.
While 36.65 percent of schools in Sikkim do not have a blackboard, nearly 26 percent in Jharkhand and 30 percent schools in Arunachal Pradesh need blackboards. In the Indian capital, 10.8 percent of schools do not have a blackboard.
However, all schools in Nagaland have blackboards. The figure is 99.5 percent in West Bengal, 99.46 in Assam and 98.61 percent in Maharashtra. As much as 97.8 percent schools in Uttar Pradesh have blackboards. Nearly five percent of schools in India don't have school buildings - and about 97 percent are government schools.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Under-qualified teachers evaluate papers
Sahara Samay
Bilaspur, (Chhattisgarh) April 17:
In a mockery of the Board exams, under-qualified teachers are checking the copies of the students, Sahara Samay sources said.Albeit, these teachers lack any degree or knowledge in the subject, the evaluation of the copies is in full swing.The incharge of the evaluation process also admits the loopholes in the process but assures that no evaluators are unscrupulous enough to spoil the future of the students.The teachers have also managed forge certificate of merit in the subject to become eligible for the evaluation work and are minting money.
Bilaspur, (Chhattisgarh) April 17:
In a mockery of the Board exams, under-qualified teachers are checking the copies of the students, Sahara Samay sources said.Albeit, these teachers lack any degree or knowledge in the subject, the evaluation of the copies is in full swing.The incharge of the evaluation process also admits the loopholes in the process but assures that no evaluators are unscrupulous enough to spoil the future of the students.The teachers have also managed forge certificate of merit in the subject to become eligible for the evaluation work and are minting money.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
More money for IEC in water quality
The State Government of Madhya Pradesh has been sanctioned an amount of Rs. 7.39 crore as extended first instalment for undertaking IEC and HRD activities relating to National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme(NRDWQM&SP) during the year 2006-07 under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM). Out of these, an amount of Rs.178.97 lakh for IEC activities and remaining Rs.559.86 lakh for HRD activities as per the guidelines.
The funds for undertaking these activities are to be transferred to Community & Capacity Development Unit established in the State. This release is for plan expenditure. The funds are to be utilized for the purpose for which it is released and as per the terms and conditions. The release is on the basis of norms for each activity as per the guidelines.
More money / funds for IEC. important is their utilisation not allocation which is key issue which state has no reponse ?
Where does this funds go ? Many districts of state suffer from water quality issues ?
The funds for undertaking these activities are to be transferred to Community & Capacity Development Unit established in the State. This release is for plan expenditure. The funds are to be utilized for the purpose for which it is released and as per the terms and conditions. The release is on the basis of norms for each activity as per the guidelines.
More money / funds for IEC. important is their utilisation not allocation which is key issue which state has no reponse ?
Where does this funds go ? Many districts of state suffer from water quality issues ?
Madhya Pradesh moves to curb child marriages
Sahni has asked the collectors to chalk out their own strategy and take action against the 'culprits'.
By Sanjay Sharma, IANS, [RxPG] Bhopal, April 14
Madhya Pradesh is using an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar to crack down on child marriages.The government has unveiled 'Raksha Sootra Bandhan' programmes under its special action plan to check mass child marriages that take place on 'Akshay Tritiya' day April 20. On that day, minor children will tie a band on their parents' wrists with a message that they should not marry off their adolescent children.Akshay Tritiya generally falls in April or May and is considered auspicious for Hindu marriages. Wedding ceremonies, including child marriages, take place on this day in Madhya Pradesh, besides Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.The plan envisages the holding of camps and rallies to generate awareness among the people in Madhya Pradesh.
These events would be organised at district and block headquarters and main villages.NGOs say nearly 20,000 children were married off last year on this day in Madhya Pradesh alone.Child marriages normally take place within the Tawar Rajputs, Lodhas, Sodhiyas and Dangi communities. Yadavs and Gujjars also join the cult.Madhya Pradesh comes second to Rajasthan as far as marriage of minor girls is concerned. While the average age of marriage for an Indian girl is 20 years, it is 17 in Madhya Pradesh.
The Unicef's state of the children report for 2007 states that the average age for marriage of girls has been increasing during the last 20 years, but 46 percent girls are still married off before they reach 18 years.The reason for early marriage of girls is not only financial. People also feel that by getting their daughters married off early the girls could be saved from sexual harassment and getting pregnant prior to marriage.
As per Unicef's 'The State of the World's Children 2007', girls marrying before 15 years have five times more chances of dying while giving birth. The state already has a high maternal mortality rate.Realising that such malpractices cannot be curbed through government efforts alone and there is a need to generate awareness in the society, Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni has instructed district collectors to follow the plan guidelines to make the campaign against child marriage successful.Sahni has asked the collectors to chalk out their own strategy and take action against the 'culprits'.The collectors have been directed to organise awareness camps at every block headquarters, where influential people should be invited.
By Sanjay Sharma, IANS, [RxPG] Bhopal, April 14
Madhya Pradesh is using an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar to crack down on child marriages.The government has unveiled 'Raksha Sootra Bandhan' programmes under its special action plan to check mass child marriages that take place on 'Akshay Tritiya' day April 20. On that day, minor children will tie a band on their parents' wrists with a message that they should not marry off their adolescent children.Akshay Tritiya generally falls in April or May and is considered auspicious for Hindu marriages. Wedding ceremonies, including child marriages, take place on this day in Madhya Pradesh, besides Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.The plan envisages the holding of camps and rallies to generate awareness among the people in Madhya Pradesh.
These events would be organised at district and block headquarters and main villages.NGOs say nearly 20,000 children were married off last year on this day in Madhya Pradesh alone.Child marriages normally take place within the Tawar Rajputs, Lodhas, Sodhiyas and Dangi communities. Yadavs and Gujjars also join the cult.Madhya Pradesh comes second to Rajasthan as far as marriage of minor girls is concerned. While the average age of marriage for an Indian girl is 20 years, it is 17 in Madhya Pradesh.
The Unicef's state of the children report for 2007 states that the average age for marriage of girls has been increasing during the last 20 years, but 46 percent girls are still married off before they reach 18 years.The reason for early marriage of girls is not only financial. People also feel that by getting their daughters married off early the girls could be saved from sexual harassment and getting pregnant prior to marriage.
As per Unicef's 'The State of the World's Children 2007', girls marrying before 15 years have five times more chances of dying while giving birth. The state already has a high maternal mortality rate.Realising that such malpractices cannot be curbed through government efforts alone and there is a need to generate awareness in the society, Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni has instructed district collectors to follow the plan guidelines to make the campaign against child marriage successful.Sahni has asked the collectors to chalk out their own strategy and take action against the 'culprits'.The collectors have been directed to organise awareness camps at every block headquarters, where influential people should be invited.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
India’s Major ‘War’: Saving Kids from HIV, AIDS
The Moderate Voice, By Swaraaj Chauhan
With its attention riveted to “War-on-Terror”, the world is yet to wake up to the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) crisis that threatens to cripple a large section of the youth in India.
Thanks to a recent study by the Indian branch of Population Council, many startling facts have emerged. The study has been supported by the U.K.’s DFID (Department for International Development). “Most children are diagnosed as being HIV positive after they are two and a half years or older, and most often they are tested when one or both parents report positive.
“The study acquires special significance as an estimated 80,000 of the 27 million birth that take place in India every year could be HIV-infected.”
With its attention riveted to “War-on-Terror”, the world is yet to wake up to the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) crisis that threatens to cripple a large section of the youth in India.
Thanks to a recent study by the Indian branch of Population Council, many startling facts have emerged. The study has been supported by the U.K.’s DFID (Department for International Development). “Most children are diagnosed as being HIV positive after they are two and a half years or older, and most often they are tested when one or both parents report positive.
“The study acquires special significance as an estimated 80,000 of the 27 million birth that take place in India every year could be HIV-infected.”
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Madhya Pradesh Needs to Invest in Health
www.boloji.com
The theme of World Health Day on 7 April was 'Invest in Health – Build a Safe Future'. The above theme is more relevant in Madhya Pradesh, central part of India. The State urgently needs to invest in health to help save lives of its own people especially women and children.
The State of Madhya Pradesh has the highest rates of malnutrition among the children in India. As per the latest National Family Health Survey 60 % of its children in age group of 0 – 3 years are under nourished. Similarly as per the growth monitoring drive undertaken by the state 78,000 children in the state are severely malnourished, meaning they need immediate care. Though the state has set up nutritional rehabilitation centers in some of its districts to provide for medical and nutritional care and support to the parents of severely malnourished children but need is of more efforts in this direction or else many may die.
Madhya Pradesh has the highest infant mortality rate and 3rd highest maternal mortality ratio in the country. 76 out of every 1000 children born in the state die before their first birthday and approximately 24 women die everyday in the state. Though the state has introduced many schemes to help combat the same, but due to bureaucratic hassles and corruption the schemes are not yielding the desired results for children and women.
As per state's health department web site Madhya Pradesh for its population of 60.38 million (as per 2001 census) has the following health infrastructure:
- District hospitals 48
- Civil hospitals 54
- Community health centers 270
- Primary health centers 1149
- Sub health centers 8834
- Sanctioned beds in district hospitals 8945
- Sanctioned beds in civil hospitals 2775
- Total licensed blood banks by state 41
A NGO namely Collective of Advocacy research and training which advocates on the issues of maternal and infant survival has been calling the issue to attention. They had undertaken an analysis of rural health infrastructure versus the population in the state. As per their statement there is just 'one bed per 5.6 villages' in the state which is alarming!. It is not only the issue of beds or buildings. Even where there are structures or health centers they lack basic minimum facilities as needed and defined by rules and are not sufficient enough to save lives or provide for better health care to its people.
As per Reproductive and Child Health District level household survey (2004) data, out of the 386 primary health centre's surveyed in the state only 224 had drinking water facility. This means that only 58.3 percent primary health centre's had drinking water while others have no such facility. Similarly in case of community health centre's out of the 46 surveyed only 10 had facility of drinking water.
In case of vehicles like ambulances out of the 386 primary health centers surveyed only 35 had vehicles which were in running condition and out of 46 community health centre's surveyed 31 had vehicles in the running condition.
Infrastructure investment does not only mean building equipments etc. Human resource which is core in health needs to be focused upon. Not only to fulfill the vacancies of doctors, para-medics, nurses but also providing them with facilities to provide care for the people.
When one raises concern on the issue of health there are numbers of different issues which impact lives of people including women and children in the state which needs attention. Probably state needs to revamp and transform its health system and look at the whole issue more holistically. The State needs to peg health of its people as priority number one, transform on immediate basis which is not only limited to public proclamations and announcing schemes but also delivering results at ground level.
anil gulati
(All views expressed in this piece are personal opinion of the contributor)
The theme of World Health Day on 7 April was 'Invest in Health – Build a Safe Future'. The above theme is more relevant in Madhya Pradesh, central part of India. The State urgently needs to invest in health to help save lives of its own people especially women and children.
The State of Madhya Pradesh has the highest rates of malnutrition among the children in India. As per the latest National Family Health Survey 60 % of its children in age group of 0 – 3 years are under nourished. Similarly as per the growth monitoring drive undertaken by the state 78,000 children in the state are severely malnourished, meaning they need immediate care. Though the state has set up nutritional rehabilitation centers in some of its districts to provide for medical and nutritional care and support to the parents of severely malnourished children but need is of more efforts in this direction or else many may die.
Madhya Pradesh has the highest infant mortality rate and 3rd highest maternal mortality ratio in the country. 76 out of every 1000 children born in the state die before their first birthday and approximately 24 women die everyday in the state. Though the state has introduced many schemes to help combat the same, but due to bureaucratic hassles and corruption the schemes are not yielding the desired results for children and women.
As per state's health department web site Madhya Pradesh for its population of 60.38 million (as per 2001 census) has the following health infrastructure:
- District hospitals 48
- Civil hospitals 54
- Community health centers 270
- Primary health centers 1149
- Sub health centers 8834
- Sanctioned beds in district hospitals 8945
- Sanctioned beds in civil hospitals 2775
- Total licensed blood banks by state 41
A NGO namely Collective of Advocacy research and training which advocates on the issues of maternal and infant survival has been calling the issue to attention. They had undertaken an analysis of rural health infrastructure versus the population in the state. As per their statement there is just 'one bed per 5.6 villages' in the state which is alarming!. It is not only the issue of beds or buildings. Even where there are structures or health centers they lack basic minimum facilities as needed and defined by rules and are not sufficient enough to save lives or provide for better health care to its people.
As per Reproductive and Child Health District level household survey (2004) data, out of the 386 primary health centre's surveyed in the state only 224 had drinking water facility. This means that only 58.3 percent primary health centre's had drinking water while others have no such facility. Similarly in case of community health centre's out of the 46 surveyed only 10 had facility of drinking water.
In case of vehicles like ambulances out of the 386 primary health centers surveyed only 35 had vehicles which were in running condition and out of 46 community health centre's surveyed 31 had vehicles in the running condition.
Infrastructure investment does not only mean building equipments etc. Human resource which is core in health needs to be focused upon. Not only to fulfill the vacancies of doctors, para-medics, nurses but also providing them with facilities to provide care for the people.
When one raises concern on the issue of health there are numbers of different issues which impact lives of people including women and children in the state which needs attention. Probably state needs to revamp and transform its health system and look at the whole issue more holistically. The State needs to peg health of its people as priority number one, transform on immediate basis which is not only limited to public proclamations and announcing schemes but also delivering results at ground level.
anil gulati
(All views expressed in this piece are personal opinion of the contributor)
India accounts for maximum under-five pneumonial deaths
New Delhi, April 9 (PTI): India accounts for the highest number of pneumonial deaths among children aged less than five years, a joint report by the Unicef and World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. With 4.1 lakh pneumonial deaths of children under five every year, India accounts for 19 per cent of such deaths across the world.
The worldwide pneumonia data collated by the WHO shows that India has the maximum 44 million episodes of pneumonia cases every year. "Pneumonia mortality perhaps leads to a quarter of all under-five deaths in India. We have broadly accepted the WHO guidelines for reducing the Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in children under five," Prof B K Paul of the Pediatrics Department of AIIMS said.
The report 'Pneumonia - The Forgotten Killer of Children' said India has the largest percentage of undernourished children, which is implicated as one of the main reasons of pneumonial deaths among children. About 47 per cent of children under five years of age in India are undernourished and among these 18 per cent fall in the severly underweight category, it said.
"The biggest population of underweight children in India makes them highly vulnerable to pneumonia. We are now focusing on the implementation of effective preventive measures," he said. The trends in India shows that only 67 per cent of under-fives with pneumonia are taken to an appropriate health care provider.
The worldwide pneumonia data collated by the WHO shows that India has the maximum 44 million episodes of pneumonia cases every year. "Pneumonia mortality perhaps leads to a quarter of all under-five deaths in India. We have broadly accepted the WHO guidelines for reducing the Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in children under five," Prof B K Paul of the Pediatrics Department of AIIMS said.
The report 'Pneumonia - The Forgotten Killer of Children' said India has the largest percentage of undernourished children, which is implicated as one of the main reasons of pneumonial deaths among children. About 47 per cent of children under five years of age in India are undernourished and among these 18 per cent fall in the severly underweight category, it said.
"The biggest population of underweight children in India makes them highly vulnerable to pneumonia. We are now focusing on the implementation of effective preventive measures," he said. The trends in India shows that only 67 per cent of under-fives with pneumonia are taken to an appropriate health care provider.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
World Migratory Bird Day - May 12- 13, 2007
To observe the World Migratory Bird Day, Crusade for Revival of Environment and Wild Life (CREW) will join hands with another NGO ARPAN (Awanti Rehabilitation Programmes and Action Networking) Society to organise a two day bird camp on May 12 and 13 for rural children, mostly belonging to the economically backward and disadvantaged families, in and around Bhopal, the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh.
CREW will arrange film shows on birds and their importance as barometers of environment and as crucial agents for seed dispersal and the pollination process. Members of CREW team informed the blog that will be screening the films titled "Water Birds of Bhopal" and "Backyard Birds of Bhopal" which has been produced and directed by Raajshri and Lalit Shastri in Bhopal and across Madhya Pradesh in Central India with the help of the State Education Mission.
CREW will make special B-rolls available to NGOs, environmentalist, schools and colleges to disseminate vital information on Migratory Birds underlining their ecological and environmental importance.
For moe information please visit the web site www.globalwarmingeurasia.com
CREW will arrange film shows on birds and their importance as barometers of environment and as crucial agents for seed dispersal and the pollination process. Members of CREW team informed the blog that will be screening the films titled "Water Birds of Bhopal" and "Backyard Birds of Bhopal" which has been produced and directed by Raajshri and Lalit Shastri in Bhopal and across Madhya Pradesh in Central India with the help of the State Education Mission.
CREW will make special B-rolls available to NGOs, environmentalist, schools and colleges to disseminate vital information on Migratory Birds underlining their ecological and environmental importance.
For moe information please visit the web site www.globalwarmingeurasia.com
Friday, April 06, 2007
Communicating to bring about social change
www.merinews.com
Anil Gulati
01 April 2007, Sunday
Conventional strategies which focus on the individual’s behaviour change may not work, these have to be more broad-based, which address the wide range of determinants in the individual’s environment and settings.
‘Meaning is not something that is delivered to people, it is made by them’. A perspective paper by Panos Institute, 1998 had mention of this statement, which still is true. Lot of debate and discussion is held in recent times on the issue on communication and in the meetings on the subject one often hears a term i.e. behaviour change communication.
The experts say that this is it. It is the need of the day especially in the states like Madhya Pradesh in India, which has challenges like high rates of malnutrition in children under three years of age, infant mortality, and has large incidences of diarrhea especially in children. Many of these could be addressed to great extent by following simple practices. The need is to communicate these practices in form of simple messages, in a manner wherein this acquired information turns into a positive action. It is well known today that, that colostrum feeding and exclusive breast feeding can help reduce infant mortality and malnutrition, hygiene practices can help prevent diarrhea, simple precautions can help prevent respiratory tract infection to the new born, but still somehow we are unable to get these across to all including people in rural and tribal areas.
Fact is that we are lagging behind. May be it is easier said, than done. May be individual wanting to make changes in his life, does not feel the need for that change or even if the urge is there but it is not so strong to turn it into motivation for action, or face resistance from family, peers and community. Many a time’s services are often inadequate for their needs or insensitive to their situation. The system often fails them. ‘I want to take my child for vaccination but health centre is closed’ said one mother in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, similarly ‘I want to go to school but teachers sent us back after taking attendance’ - a young boy of 10 years mentioned it in the gram sabha in Shivpuri district . They may also face religious, cultural, economic, or social pressures or a lack of structural and legislative support-that constrain their freedom to choose healthy and safe options.
Strategies designed to improve individual lives focus only on the “individual” pushing them to change practices by defining them as wrong and right. Such strategies ‘many a times’ ignore that there exists an environment and the forces within the society which push them following practices or doing things that undermine their health or health of their child. For example in case of just creating awareness on prevention of HIV/AIDS may not work, if we do not take into account the social determinants, cultural sensitivities and deep seated inequalities within the system. One may need different strategies, which is possible and there may be threats but may be that is the reason why working for change on both macro and micro level would help. When strategies for behaviour change are formed we therefore need to think in much broader terms, keeping the real picture in mind and think beyond the individual behaviour change.
Conventional strategies which focus on the individual’s behavior change may not work, these have to be more broad-based, which address the wide range of determinants in the individual’s environment and settings. One cannot push for hand washing if there is no water, or they cannot afford the soap.
May be that is the reason rather than focusing on ‘individual behaviour change’ need of the day is to focus on social change. For communication professional the focus needs to be communication for social change, may be the individual issues would get diluted, in actual they may not be the real problems, may get addressed in the process for social change.
In the process of this kind of communication for social change such “enabling” strategies would intend to remove barriers or constraints to positive action or conversely could erect barriers or constraints to behaviour which one should not practice. A combination of approaches is therefore necessary to promote the individual’s capacity for action within a supportive environment and community.
Anil Gulati
01 April 2007, Sunday
Conventional strategies which focus on the individual’s behaviour change may not work, these have to be more broad-based, which address the wide range of determinants in the individual’s environment and settings.
‘Meaning is not something that is delivered to people, it is made by them’. A perspective paper by Panos Institute, 1998 had mention of this statement, which still is true. Lot of debate and discussion is held in recent times on the issue on communication and in the meetings on the subject one often hears a term i.e. behaviour change communication.
The experts say that this is it. It is the need of the day especially in the states like Madhya Pradesh in India, which has challenges like high rates of malnutrition in children under three years of age, infant mortality, and has large incidences of diarrhea especially in children. Many of these could be addressed to great extent by following simple practices. The need is to communicate these practices in form of simple messages, in a manner wherein this acquired information turns into a positive action. It is well known today that, that colostrum feeding and exclusive breast feeding can help reduce infant mortality and malnutrition, hygiene practices can help prevent diarrhea, simple precautions can help prevent respiratory tract infection to the new born, but still somehow we are unable to get these across to all including people in rural and tribal areas.
Fact is that we are lagging behind. May be it is easier said, than done. May be individual wanting to make changes in his life, does not feel the need for that change or even if the urge is there but it is not so strong to turn it into motivation for action, or face resistance from family, peers and community. Many a time’s services are often inadequate for their needs or insensitive to their situation. The system often fails them. ‘I want to take my child for vaccination but health centre is closed’ said one mother in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, similarly ‘I want to go to school but teachers sent us back after taking attendance’ - a young boy of 10 years mentioned it in the gram sabha in Shivpuri district . They may also face religious, cultural, economic, or social pressures or a lack of structural and legislative support-that constrain their freedom to choose healthy and safe options.
Strategies designed to improve individual lives focus only on the “individual” pushing them to change practices by defining them as wrong and right. Such strategies ‘many a times’ ignore that there exists an environment and the forces within the society which push them following practices or doing things that undermine their health or health of their child. For example in case of just creating awareness on prevention of HIV/AIDS may not work, if we do not take into account the social determinants, cultural sensitivities and deep seated inequalities within the system. One may need different strategies, which is possible and there may be threats but may be that is the reason why working for change on both macro and micro level would help. When strategies for behaviour change are formed we therefore need to think in much broader terms, keeping the real picture in mind and think beyond the individual behaviour change.
Conventional strategies which focus on the individual’s behavior change may not work, these have to be more broad-based, which address the wide range of determinants in the individual’s environment and settings. One cannot push for hand washing if there is no water, or they cannot afford the soap.
May be that is the reason rather than focusing on ‘individual behaviour change’ need of the day is to focus on social change. For communication professional the focus needs to be communication for social change, may be the individual issues would get diluted, in actual they may not be the real problems, may get addressed in the process for social change.
In the process of this kind of communication for social change such “enabling” strategies would intend to remove barriers or constraints to positive action or conversely could erect barriers or constraints to behaviour which one should not practice. A combination of approaches is therefore necessary to promote the individual’s capacity for action within a supportive environment and community.
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