By Dr. Ashish Satav | President MAHAN trust
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 laborer, living below poverty line (>80%) & very hard life in huts (>90%) mostly without electricity & illiterate (>50%). Medical facilities are grossly inadequate in Melghat as compared to rest of Maharashtra. Due to lack of proper medical facilities & superstitions, tribals go 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 under-five children, women and economically productive age group 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 (34 Villages)
Total SMCs treated in SAMMAN – January – March 2020
234
Rate of SMC 7.8% , achieved the target of <14%.
Case fatality rate (CFR) of Treated SMC 0.
There was not a single death amongst treated SMCs and hence we could achieve WHO target of CFR of <4%.
SUCCESS STORY
On treating her with LTF and mineral mix in SAMMAN for six months, she is now out of malnutrition. Her last anthropometry in November, weight 10 kg, height 83 cm, head circumference 46 cm and mid arm circumference is 14. Now she is normal according to WHO gradation.
HBCC (HOME-BASED CHILD-CARE Program)
Aim of the Project
To reduce under 5 children mortality rate and prevalence of malnutrition.
No. of 0-5 years patients treated by VHWs – January - March 2020 : 1229
Impact achieved
Under 5 Mortality Rate. : 67.9 per thousand live birth.
Success STORY
One 8-month-old boy from Dabida, had some episodes of watery stools with mucus and blood on 27th November. VHW from village visited him and treated him with ORS and liquid metronidazole for seven days. Medical supervisor of village also visited that child. He is fine now and doing 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 from 34 villages.
Activities and Impact
Total Behavior change communication beneficiaries in 34 Villages : 4647
This program involves treatment of patients suffering from hypertension, malaria, diarrhea, asthma and referral of patients of TB, heart diseases, anemia, etc. to hospital.
Impact achieved – January – March 2020
Total number of 16-60 years treated : 1318
Age specific mortality rate per lakh population : 201 . Achieved the target of ASMR <250.
One 30 years old male was suffering from cold and intermittent fever on 19/2/2020. This patient was examined by our village health worker (VHW). The temperature was 104.5-degree F and based on the signs and symptoms, he was diagnosed to have Malaria. Our VHW started him on Chloroquine medicine as per our protocol. He recovered completely on 27/2/2020.
Hospital report:- JANUARY – MARCH 2020
1. Hospital care Beneficiaries (OPD) 2033
2 Total Hospital Inpatient Beneficiaries (IPD) : 280
3 Critical Care Beneficiaries (ICU) : 97
One 28 year old patient from Melghat village was admitted in our hospital on 9th Feb. 2020 in very serious condition. After examination he was diagnosed as a case of acute Alcoholic intoxication and hypoxia. After treatment with oxygen and other drugs and continuous monitoring, the patient got better and he is now doing fine.
Expenses…..
Expenses(INR) Rs. 4631235
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