MAHAN (Meditation, AIDS, Health, Addiction, Nutrition) is a non-government organization established in 1998 to improve health care in Melghat region. Dr. Ashish Satav (MD) and his wife, Dr. Kavita Satav (MS ophthalmology) left their secure jobs at medical college to start MAHAN Trust which provides healthcare in one of the poorest and most deprived parts of India – the Melghat region. MAHAN was touched by Gandhian teaching that “youths should go to the villages to serve as real India is in villages”. Melghat is the hilly forest area in the beautiful Satpuda mountain ranges. Population is 300,000 & 75% of them are tribal. Korku is the major tribe of Melghat. Most of the tribal (>90 %) are farmers or labourers, living below poverty line (>75%) & very hard life inkaccha houses(>90%) mostly without electricity & illiterate (>50%). Medical facilities are worst in Melghat as compared to rest of Maharashtra. Due to lack of proper medical facilities & superstitions, tribal goes to traditional faith healers/quacks (pujari&bhumkas) for treatment of illness. Skin is burnt with red hot iron rod for reducing pain known as Damma. This lead to very high under 5 children mortality (>100 per 1000 live births) especially Malnutrition related deaths and very high mortality in age group (16-60 years) & maternal mortality. Moved by such things, we started the project in Melghat in November 1997. MAHAN Trust has dedicated its work to reduce malnutrition and mortality among women and under-five children through various programs e.g.. Hospital, Critical Care Facilities, pediatric hospital , Home Based Child Care (HBCC), Malnutrition Eradication (SAMMAN), Providing Locally Prepared Therapeutic Food to malnourished children, Mortality Control Program for Economically Productive Age Group, Blindness Control, De-Addiction Program, Kitchen Garden(KG) and Nutrition Farm (NF) and Counsellor Program for strengthening of government hospitals. Dr Kavita has selflessly supported all of MAHAN’s initiatives and has spearheaded the blindness control program, often personally conducting door to door screenings in over 400 remote villages, spreading awareness to convince tribal to come to the hospital for eye check-ups and surgeries and braving the dangers of the forest environment to personally reach her patients and treat them.
MAHAN’s community health programs have reduced child mortality and severe malnutrition by more than 65%, reduced the death rate in economically productive age group and maternal mortality by more than 50%. MAHAN has provided free services of specialists’ doctors to more than 120,000 patients, saved more than 3000 critically ill tribal patients, provided vision to more than 21,000 tribal patients by cataract surgery and providing spectacles and provided free plastic surgery to >1000 tribal. MAHAN could improve 17 government hospitals benefitting >300000 tribal. MAHAN could improve lives of more than 7,00,000 tribal people especially children and women due to their efforts in changing Government policies, expanding many state health and ICDS policies. MAHAN trust research has been published in many international medical journals like Lancet and Harvard USA, international conferences as key note speaker e.g. London, has won several national and international awards e.g. World Health Organization’s Public Health Champion Award, for social service, advocacy and pioneering medical research. Due to very good work many international organizations e.g. University of Colarado, Denver, USA, Nottingham’s university UK, UNICEF, etc. have collaborated with MAHAN for its work in Melghat. MAHAN could develop >6000 NF, KG in 16 tribal villages producing > 100000 kg green vegetables, pulses, etc. by tribal farmers.
Due to MAHAN’s efforts, three villages are free from social drinking of alcohol.
GLOBAL GIVING REPORT JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018.
MAHAN (Meditation, AIDS, Health, Addiction, Nutrition) is a non-government organization established in 1998 to improve health care in Melghat region. MAHAN was touched by Gandhian teaching that “youths should go to the villages to serve as real India is in villages”. Melghat is the hilly forest area in the beautiful Satpuda mountain ranges. Population is 300,000 & 75% of them are tribal. Korku is the major tribe of Melghat. Most of the tribal (>90 %) are farmers or labourers, living below poverty line (>75%) & very hard life inkaccha houses(>90%) mostly without electricity & illiterate (>50%). Medical facilities are worst in Melghat as compared to rest of Maharashtra. Due to lack of proper medical facilities & superstitions, tribal goes to traditional faith healers/quacks (pujari&bhumkas) for treatment of illness. Skin is burnt with red hot iron rod for reducing pain known as Damma. This lead to very high under 5 children mortality (>100 per 1000 live births) especially Malnutrition related deaths and very high mortality in age group (16-60 years) & maternal mortality. Moved by such things, we started the project in Melghat in November 1997. MAHAN Trust has dedicated its work to reduce malnutrition and mortality among women and under-five children through various programs like HBCC, MCPEPAG and SAMMAN. Below is a snapshot of our achievements in these projects aided by our generous donors.
SAMMAN (Community based Management for Severely Malnourished Children)
Aim of the Project
To reduce prevalence and death of severe malnutrition in under 5 children (SMC) (SUW & SAM) using local therapeutic food (LTF) distributed by Village Health Workers (VHWs).
Activities and Impact (32 Villages)
ParticularFigures of Perform-anceTarget to be achieved at the end of 5 yrRate achieved
No. of villages covered in program
32
Total population in target villages
30007
Total 0-5 years children in target villages
2823
Total under 5 children measured
2608
Under 5 Children suffering from SAM
10
<1%
0.38%
Under 5 Children suffering from SUW
177
Under 5 Children suffering from SAM+SUW
56
Under 5 Children suffering from Severe Malnutrition (SAM or SUW or SAM+SUW) at the end of September
243
<
Under 5 Children suffering from Severe Malnutrition (SAM or SUW or SAM+SUW) treated.
320
Case fatality rate (CFR) of Treated SMC
2
0.62%
Case fatality rate (CFR) of overall SMC
2
0.82 %
SAM=Severe Acute Malnutrition. SUW= Severe Underweight SMC = Severely Malnourished Child
Due to our efforts, we could successfully reduce the prevalence of SUW and SAM. There were two deaths amongst treated SMCs and hence we could achieve WHO target of CFR of <4%.
Success story:-
In Keli village, 1 yr 9 month age girl had wt. 6.785 kg & length 74 cms and she was in SAM & SUW due to neglect by mother. Mother was alcohol addict. She was counselled by our BCC supervisor about deaddiction. Mother was convinced and she stopped drinking alcohol. She child was in SAMMAN from 14-6-18. The child improved to weight 7.210 kg on 25.7.2018 with >10 gm/day weight gain.
2) 45 months girl from Pohra village had wt. 10.270 kg & Ht. 79.5 cms. She was SUW child and was included in SAMMAN on 7-6-18. She improved to Wt. 11.950 kg on 26-7-18 and upgraded to MUW. Her wt. gain was 3.28 gm/kg/day.
HBCC (Home Based Child Care Program)
Aim of the Project
To reduce under 5 children mortality rate and prevalence of malnutrition.
Activities and Impact old 10 Villages
No. of U5 patients treated by VHWs :- 778
Behavior change communication Beneficiaries– 9201
Beneficiaries felt BCC useful:- 7272 (79.03 % )
Success Story
1) 30 month old girl from Pohara village had Pneumonia on 12-7-18. She was treated by our VHW with Cotrimoxazole & Paracetamol and got cured in 1 week.
2) 3 years male child R/o Dabhyakheda had fever with difficult breathing. He was drowsy for 2 days with Resp. Rate 46/min. He was treated for pneumonia by our VHW with Co- Trimoxazole & Paracetamol for 7 days. The child is well.
MCPEPAG (Mortality control program for economically productive age group, 16-60 years)
Aim of the Project
To reduce number of deaths in 16-60 years age group.
Activities and Impact
This program involves treatment of patients suffering from hypertension, malaria, diarrhea, asthma and referral of patients of TB, heart diseases, anemia, etc. to hospital.
Report of old 10 Villages:-
Total number of beneficiaries:- 559
Total number of deaths in this quarter –3 (including one maternal death)
Intervention Area
9 Villages
Impact achieved
Age specific mortality rate
3
229 per lakh population
Prevalence of untreated hypertension
112
4.68 %
Success Stories:-
1) 35 years old female, R/o Berdabalda was having Diarrhea, Vomiting & Dehydration with abdominal pain since 3 days. She was treated by our VHW with ORS, Tab. Domperidone & Norfloxacin for 3 days. She became normal after 3 days treatment.
Report of New 22 Villages:-
No treatment started yet.
Number of 16-60 age group people screened for hypertension are:- 5682 out of which, 505 are found hypertensive. Prevalence of hypertension is 8.88 %
ASMR:- 242.13 ( 8 Deaths in 3 months, Population 13216)
Hospital report:-
Number of patient treated in OPD:- 2854
Number of Patients treated in ICU and wards :- 274
Deaths in Hospital:- 0
Success Story-
1] Aparna ShantilalDarshimbe, 4.5-year female child from Village Ghota, was identified as SUW with weight 11.160 kg and height 93.5 cm. She was treated with Local Therapeutic Food (LTF) and Mineral Mix. Now child has improved and weight of the child is 11.94 Kg and height is 95.5 cm and she is out of severe malnutrition.
2] Priyanka HiralalJamunkar Female Child from Chaurakund aged 11 Months was identified as SAM on 24/4/18 (weight and Height :- 6.2kg and 71.5 cm respectively). She has been given LTF – MN and antibiotics by our VHW under guidance of upervisors. Now weight of the child is 6.890 kg and Height is 71.5 cms. Child is gaining weight and today the child is out of severe malnutrition.
3) Kartik HiralalJambekar 1yr 4 months Male Child from village Hatnada was identified as SMC on 27/4/18 (weight of the child was 7.350kg and height was 74 cms). He has been given LTF – MN and antibiotics by our VHW under guidance of supervisors. Now the weight has increased to 8.660 kg. Child is gaining wt at 6.8 gram/Kg-Day. Now the Child is normal.
You will find more such stories in the attached report.
Attached is a snapshot of our achievements from April to June 2018. This project is predominantly funded by our generous donors- Tribal Development Department Government of Maharashtra & Bajaj Holdings & Investment Ltd. in addition to GG donors. Expenses incurred are USD 50K.
Community based approach to improve health and nutritional status and to reduce deaths of tribal of Melghat, Maharashtra
(Report Jan to March 2018 )
MAHAN (Meditation, AIDS, Health, Addiction, Nutrition) is a non-government organization established in 1998 to improve health care in Melghat region. MAHAN was touched by Gandhian teaching that “youths should go to the villages to serve as real India is in villages”. Melghat is the hilly forest area in the beautiful Satpuda mountain ranges. Population is 300,000 & 75% of them are tribal. Korku is the major tribe of Melghat. Most of the tribal (>90 %) are farmers or labourers, living below poverty line (>75%) & very hard life inkaccha houses(>90%) mostly without electricity & illiterate (>50%). Medical facilities are worst in Melghat as compared to rest of Maharashtra. Due to lack of proper medical facilities & superstitions, tribal goes to traditional faith healers/quacks (pujari&bhumkas) for treatment of illness. Skin is burnt with red hot iron rod for reducing pain known as Damma. This lead to very high under 5 children mortality (>100 per 1000 live births) especially Malnutrition related deaths and very high mortality in age group (16-60 years) & maternal mortality. Moved by such things, we started the project in Melghat in November 1997. MAHAN Trust has dedicated its work to reduce malnutrition and mortality among women and under-five children through various programs like HBCC, MCPEPAG and SAMMAN. Below is a snapshot of our achievements in these projects aided by our generous donors.
SAMMAN (Community based Management for Severely Malnourished Children)
Aim of the Project
To reduce prevalence and death of severe malnutrition in under 5 children (SMC) (SUW & SAM) using local therapeutic food (LTF) distributed by Village Health Workers (VHWs).
Activities and Impact (Old 10 Villages)
Due to our efforts, we could successfully reduce the prevalence of SUW and SAM. There was not a single death amongst treated SMCs and hence we could achieve WHO target of CFR of <4%.
Success story:-
A 3 year and 7 months old, female child from village Keli was diagnosed as SMC with weight 6.360 Kg and Height 67 Cm, child was lethargic and had feeding difficulty. She is being treated from 16/01/2018 and today weight of the child is 7.00 kg and height is 69 cm. Today the child is active and plays well.
HBCC (Home Based Child Care Program)
Aim of the Project
To reduce under 5 children mortality rate and prevalence of malnutrition.
Activities and Impact old 10 Villages
No. of patients treated by VHWs :- 553
Behavior change communication – 7470
There was statistically highly significant reduction of child deaths.
Activities and Impact New 20 Villages
Behavior change communication of beneficiaries – 3511
Success Story
A 8 months female child was diagnosed as case of Pneumonia since 3 days, with respiration rate 56/M and fever 1010F. The child was treated with Syp. Cotrimoxazole and Paracetamol. Now the child is well.
MCPEPAG (Mortality control program for economically productive age group, 16-60 years)
Aim of the Project
To reduce number of deaths in 16-60 years age group.
Activities and Impact
This program involves treatment of patients suffering from hypertension, malaria, diarrhea, asthma and referral of patients of TB, heart diseases, anemia, etc. to hospital.
Report of old 10 Villages:-
Total number of beneficiaries :- 290
There was statistically highly significant reduction in Age specific mortality rate (16-60) years and prevalence of hypertension .
Success Story:-
A 38 years female from village Keli was presented with pain in abdomen and diarrhoea. She was given ORS and Tab. Norfloxacin. Now she is ok.
Hospital report:-
Number of patient treated in OPD:- 1634
Number of Patients treated in ICU and wards :- 160
Success story:-
1) A one and half year male child residence of Ghota presented with abdominal distention, respiratory distress and drowsiness. He was treated with antibiotics, IV fluids and Oxygen . He was relieved next day. Then he was discharged after 2 days on home treatment.
2) A tribal female child of age 14 months, from the village Utavali presented at our hospital on 29/03/2018 with complaints of fever, cough, cold since 4- 5 days and respiratory distress since 1 day. She was admitted in our hospital and given IV fluids, Antibiotics, Oxygen, etc. After vigorous treatment she was relieved on 2nd day. She was treated for next 3 days and discharged on 1st April 2018 in normal condition.
Links:
Respected and Dear all,
MAHAN is the non- governmental organization dedicated to provide medical facilities to the tribal population of Melghat region (~ 3 lakhs). Melghat is located in a hilly forest area in the Satpuda mountain ranges, where medical facilities are grossly inadequate (Doctor Patient ratio < one M.B.B.S.doctor per 10,000 patients). MAHAN trust was founded by Myself, Dr. Ashish Satav, MD, (46 years) and my wife Dr.(Mrs.) Kavita Satav, MS (Ophthalmology) in 1998. When even any M.B.B.S. doctor was not willing to settle down in Melghat tribal area, we at the young age of 26, decided to stay in Dharni, Melghat to serve the tribal. We have already devoted 19 years of our life to this cause.
The Area has very high mortality rate in under 5 children and in age group (16-60 years). MAHAN has already built a critical patient, eye hospital and children hospital, saved thousands of serious patients, provided vision to thousands of poor people & changed lives of hundreds of disabled patients by plastic surgeries. Home based child care is being provided for treatment of childhood illnesses specially to children suffering from malnutrition. Nutrition education and training of village health workers is playing an important role in providing proper health facilities to rural and tribal families in Melghat. MAHAN could reduce under 5 children deaths & severe malnutrition by more than 64% and deaths in age group of 16-60 years by more than 50% in 17 villages of Melghat.
Many of our successful programs & recommendations have been adopted by the Government for all tribal areas of Maharashtra thus benefiting lakhs of tribal population. Successful de-addiction of hundreds of people changed families. MAHAN developed sustainable source of nutrition for poor tribal. Innovative counselor program has saved thousands of lives by improving government hospitals. Through public interest litigation in Mumbai high court, MAHAN saved thousands of lives.
We have been honored with many prestigious awards (e.g. World Health Organization Public Health Champion Award) & international research publications and presentations for our research and services to the tribal.
We will be very happy if your financial support can improve health status of poor tribal .
Our detail report is attached.
With regards
Sincerely yours
Ashish Satav
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