Health: Awareness, Implementation
and Creating Change

Apart from focusing on urban health care issues, SHED has healthcare programs for tribal communities of Saphale in Palghar district. Being one of the most underserved and marginalized communities, SHED’s programs aim to help them equip themselves against health related issues.

Anaemia Control

Anaemia, a condition which develops due to lack of red blood cells or low haemoglobin, is prevalent amongst women around the world. Almost half the women in India suffer from Anaemia. Women, especially in the childbearing years are particularly susceptible to iron-deficiency anaemia. Saphale, especially tribal community are given education of the importance of nutrition and iron supplements for the girl child and women. Successful reached out to the women and improved their health conditions.

Achievements in the year 2015-16:

• 102 anaemic women from the villages of Shitle, Kosachapada, Borichapada, and Barafpada given dietary items (poha, jaggery, roasted channa, nachni, groundnuts) for improvements in anemia levels with blood tests conducted at pre, mid and post levels
• 100 women selected for 3 month pilot project and provided with iron and folic acid supplement tablets and nutritional supplements (ragi, jaggery and poha)
• 85 of 100 women increased their HB levels through the interventions due to which the anaemia management program was extended to provide life time nutrition supplements
• In collaboration of ROCHE, drumstick saplings (known for increasing iron levels) for the kitchen garden were provided to beneficiaries
• Medicines/nutrition supplements (poha/ nachni/jiggery/groundnuts/ folic acid along with inject able iron supplements were distributed to 300 anaemic women at Ransai by APM Terminus for 3 months under a pilot project
• Interactive session by Rujuta Divekar with 988 women, Saphale on natural resources available in villages for combating anaemia was conducted
• 3 camps were held (pre, mid-term and post) where results indicated that 75% of women had increased HB levels
• Awareness through puppet shows, poster exhibitions, wall painting, street plays etc.

HIV/AIDS intervention

With better intervention strategies available, India, as a nation, has been able to curb the rising rates of infections of HIV/ AIDS within vulnerable communities. Commercial sex workers and single migrant males who come into the city in search of employment are some of the vulnerable populations who need to be involved in controlling and reducing the rate of infections through promotion of safe behaviour practices and regular medical follow ups whenever required. Additionally, continuous and ongoing monitoring and awareness of the vulnerable communities should be conducted to educate the newer target groups entering the communities.

Achievements in the year 2015-16:

• Continued partnership with MDACS and PHFI based on successful implementation of the program.
• Target populations: single migrant and female sex worker populations in Dharavi and industrial workers and sand workers in PalgharTaluka.
• Increase in outreach numbers to 20,000 and outreach area in Dharavi due to successful implementation of program.
• 128 detection camps held with 5123 tests, identification of 7 positive patients, 6 referrals for ART with records maintained and tracked.
• Easy availability of condoms, counselling sessions for early diagnoses, immediate treatment of STDs, referrals of diagnosed patients to government Hospitals and ART centres.
• Awareness rally organized by RH Palghar with the collaboration of NGOs, colleges & schools with 355 college students, school students and adults attending the rally.
• Awareness related to HIV/AIDS spread through a cricket match organized with the migrant population.

General Health & Awareness

Generating awareness through various mediums is an important tool in bringing about behavioural and attitudinal changes within individuals and communities to understand personal and community health issues, to embrace logical and practical cures and overall understand and accept preventive measures. This is an important tool especially in slums where density of populations is high and the rate of diseases, especially infectious, will be directly high.

Achievements till date:

• Medical camps on ophthalmology, general health, STD/HIV detection, anaemia, malaria, water borne diseases were organized.
• Target beneficiaries were children, women, senior citizens and general population based on theme of the camp.
• Distribution of medicines and spectacles in some camps.
• Awareness sessions on menstruation, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition, AIDS awareness, anaemia and prevention of dengue and malaria.
• Menstrual awareness Day organized in collaboration with Aakaar Innovation.
• World AIDS program organized at Dharavi police station, Sion railway station and Urban Health Centre with street plays, stalls, exhibits and distribution on IEC material.