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.
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