Alongside malaria and HIV, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the main communicable diseases wreaking havoc on the lives of vulnerable populations in developing countries. In the Philippines, the situation is particularly challenging – the WHO estimates that in 2019, up to 1 million Filipinos had active TB, the third highest prevalence in the world. Around 70 people die in the country every day from this completely curable disease.
Solutions are not far from reach, but understanding the multifaceted reasons why TB persists in the Philippines is key to implementing effective measures to combat the spread of the disease.
Tuberculosis: An Overview
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that typically attacks the lungs, resulting in coughing, chest pain, fatigue and fever symptoms. It is spread through airborne droplets released through coughing, sneezing and even speaking, making it highly transmissible. As with any bacterial disease, those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of severe illness or death. People who suffer from malnutrition or who already have conditions like HIV or diabetes are particularly vulnerable.
With a rapidly growing HIV epidemic and the World Food Programme reporting that 64% of its population is “chronically food insecure,” it is not surprising that TB is so prevalent in the Philippines.
Links to Poverty
The organization Health Poverty Action puts it simply: “Poverty and TB are closely linked.” The spread of tuberculosis in the Philippines is closely associated with the living conditions of its sufferers – the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) states that TB is particularly common among the urban poor, who often have inadequate access to health care.
A report from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies also cites overcrowded living conditions as a factor that exacerbates the spread of TB among the urban poor.
Another issue standing in the way of eradicating TB is the financial barriers to treatment. A 2022 study published in ‘Global Health’ surveyed Filipinos living in a high-TB area and found that many cited “indirect expenses,” like the cost of transportation, as a factor that would incite them to avoid seeking care.
As drug-resistant TB becomes an ever-growing problem, many Filipinos are forced to travel to multiple different hospitals and health facilities to collect different prescriptions, at significant personal cost. This is because drug-resistant TB requires sufferers to cycle between different drugs in order to treat the disease. This type of treatment is expensive, especially since health services and the National Tuberculosis Program are “crucially underfunded,” according to researchers from the University of the Philippines.
The ‘Global Health’ study also noted the risk of unemployment as an important barrier to treatment – many respondents of the survey feared that they would be forced to take leave from their jobs if it was revealed that they were infectious, or that they would be unable to work due to side effects from treatment. In short, many simply could not afford to not work.
Fighting For Change
Although the Filipino government has made efforts to mitigate the cost to low-income households of TB treatment with its aforementioned National Tuberculosis Program, a 2022 study found that 42% of households with TB were still suffering “catastrophic costs” associated with the disease.
However, there have been some moderate steps forward. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Fund and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) expanded an existing initiative that employed motorcycle riders to transport specimens from patients’ homes to hospitals for evaluation – they can now transport medication from health care facilities to patients’ homes, alleviating the financial burden of transportation for TB patients.
In addition, in 2020, the Filipino Department of Health and the WHO Country Office in the Philippines created a “package of digital solutions,” aiming to collect more data and facilitate the reporting of TB cases, an area that still needs work. The applications do not require an internet connection and are able to track patient progress, allowing health care providers and patients easier access to information about TB treatment. This way, patients do not need to travel to the hospital just to remain informed about their treatment plans.
Looking Ahead
Eradicating tuberculosis in the Philippines is an achievable goal, but it will take a lot of time, effort and funding. Poverty is a key driver of communicable diseases, and the case of tuberculosis in the Philippines exemplifies this fact. A 2018 study found that eradicating global poverty would result in a 33% reduction in tuberculosis cases. Working towards this goal will be instrumental in saving lives, increasing productivity and eliminating tuberculosis in the Philippines for good.
– Abbi Powell
Photo: Flickr
How 5G Services in India Will Modernize its Agriculture
On Oct. 1, 2022, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched 5G services in India. Such services will improve many industries, including India’s agricultural industry which is in desperate need of it. Farmers in India still heavily rely on traditional farming methods. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, approximately 58% of India’s population work in the agricultural sector. In 2020, World Bank estimated India’s employment in agriculture to be at 41.5%. Approximately, 62% of the land in India is used for agriculture. The country’s livestock population of about 535.78 million is the largest in the world. With its farmland and livestock, India is the world’s largest producer of milk, pulses and spices. Farmers of India play an important role in providing a means of sustenance to not only India but also the rest of the world. However, multiple challenges stand in the way of farmers in their attempt to meet the nation’s demands for food.
The Struggles of Farmers in Inda
According to a 2017 report that India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare published, about 22.5% of India’s farmers live below the poverty line. One of the reasons behind this estimate is that 70% of farmers work on farms less than one hectare (2.5 acres) in size, thereby limiting how much they can grow. For comparison, the average-sized farm in the United States is 445 acres. Another reason is that the crop yields in developing countries are 30% to 50% less than those in developed nations. This is due to the lack of modern farming technologies and techniques and the decrease in soil fertility as a result of over-fertilization and sustained pesticide use. Poor access to market information on the price of their crops and lack of good farming infrastructure, like cold storage to preserve fruits and vegetables, also contribute to lower crop yields.
In 2020, many farmers protested laws that threatened guaranteed crop prices that existed for decades. Around 100,000 demonstrators and 31 farmer’s unions united and set up large camping sites on the highways of India. Protesters claimed to represent the farmers of India and stated that the laws would allow the private sector to set lower prices on their crops. This would further worsen the ongoing struggles of farmers in the country. According to federal data, more than 10,000 farmers and agricultural workers have committed suicide due to work-related stress and despair over their livelihoods. The laws aiming to deregulate agricultural markets were eventually repealed, thanks to the protests.
Turning it Around in Farming
With the introduction of 5G services in India, farming will be more manageable and profitable. Such services can allow farmers to manage their livestock remotely. Farmers can also monitor the health of their livestock and track their activities, their food intake and their fertility through devices such as 5G-connected collars, sensors and cameras. This allows them to be aware of important events, for example, when their livestock is going into labor. 5G technology can increase profitability and improve the sustainability of India’s agricultural industry.
Farmers can use 5G to connect to the web and keep up with the market prices of their products. They can also check weather conditions to see how much water their crops would need, based on whether it would rain or not. 5G services in India will allow farmers to use cellular-connected and camera-equipped drones. These are helpful in scanning crops to monitor their health, identify weeds, apply pesticides and water with more precision and provide high-resolution images to the farmer. Farmers can also be able to control their irrigation and reduce water usage by up to 40%. They can use soil probes buried underground to monitor their soil’s moisture, soil patterns and salinity. This data can also help figure out the amount and frequency of watering for their crops.
Limitations and Promises of 5G Services
Once 5G is available to all, farmers will benefit quickly. According to an article on AgriEngineering, a majority of Indian farmers have smartphones, and the number of Indians with smartphones is expected to reach 875 million by 2023. In 2019, 88% of Indians living in rural parts of the country already had access to 4G services. Airtel and Jio (telecommunication companies) users, whose phones already have 4G SIM cards, would not need new cards for 5G as they are already 5G enabled.
However, the current lack of cellular towers in rural areas could limit 5G services for some time. Fortunately, India’s National Telecommunications Commission has directed the country’s three top telecommunication service providers to build more cellular towers and signal relay stations in rural areas. It may take over a year for 5G services to be available across the entire country. While some Airtel and Jio users may be able to use their current phones to access 5G services, users of other telecommunication companies will have to purchase new phones. With the introduction of 5G services in India, the country is taking a significant step towards digitizing agriculture. The benefits of 5G will allow farmers to improve their livelihoods and secure a better future for generations to come.
– James Harrington
Photo: Flickr
Safe Spaces for Women and Girls in Bangladesh
Fostering a Safe Environment
The Safe Spaces’ primary purpose is to protect Rohingya and local Bangladeshi women from gender-based violence in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. Specifically, amid Bangladesh’s nationwide pandemic lockdown in the first half of 2020, UNICEF anticipated skyrocketed rates of sexual exploitation and marital abuse. As a result, these spaces offer psychological care and case management in an open and safe environment.
Beyond protection services, volunteers at these Safe Spaces conduct house visits in communities surrounding the refugee camps. The volunteers share information about the pandemic and raise awareness surrounding gender-based violence. Their door-to-door visits encourage women to report incidents of abuse and shed light on how Safe Spaces for Women and Girls in Bangladesh are attempting to tackle gender-based violence.
Providing New Opportunities
The spaces also provide women with skills training for employment opportunities. According to UNICEF, the spaces teach women how to sew and embroider thus empowering Rohingya refugees to be economically independent once they leave the Safe Space. In fact, UNICEF reports that some women are able to earn over $100 a month, enabling women to provide for their children and gain power in terms of household dynamics. Furthermore, considering that 55% of the camp consists of children under 18, skills training allows young women to get a head start on developing crucial skills for the workforce.
Cultivating Camaraderie Between Communities
Although Safe Spaces were originally designed for Rohingya refugees, they are now open to local Bangladeshi women as well. As a result, Rohingya and Bangladeshi women have bonded over their similarities—such as facing gender-based restrictions in daily life. These centers’ emphasis on psychological support and skills training allows both Rohingya and Bangladeshi women to foster tight-knit relationships within the sanctuary.
A Hopeful Future
As hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people still reside in Cox’s Bazar as of late 2022, Safe Spaces for Women and Girls in Bangladesh continue to protect women from outside threats. In Safe Spaces, women learn the necessary skills for entering the workforce while fostering relationships with other women in their communities. By empowering persecuted refugees, Safe Spaces are effectively cultivating a brighter, more optimistic future for thousands of Rohingya women across Bangladesh.
– Emma He
Photo: Flickr
The 5 Deadliest Diseases in South Sudan
The 5 Deadliest Diseases Impacting South Sudan
Looking Ahead
To combat the deadliest diseases in South Sudan, the Ministry of Health created a five-tier plan called the “National Health Policy,” running from 2016 to 2026. The first tier reduces maternal and child death rates by introducing more technical equipment and professional staff members. The second tier is to prevent all communicable, non-communicable and tropical diseases. The third tier improves emergency management, surveillance and recovery. The fourth tier supports specific-health needs. Finally, the fifth tier reduces environmental factors and promotes awareness of social health factors.
– Deanna Barratt
Photo: Flickr
UNDERSTANDING TUBERCULOSIS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Solutions are not far from reach, but understanding the multifaceted reasons why TB persists in the Philippines is key to implementing effective measures to combat the spread of the disease.
Tuberculosis: An Overview
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that typically attacks the lungs, resulting in coughing, chest pain, fatigue and fever symptoms. It is spread through airborne droplets released through coughing, sneezing and even speaking, making it highly transmissible. As with any bacterial disease, those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of severe illness or death. People who suffer from malnutrition or who already have conditions like HIV or diabetes are particularly vulnerable.
With a rapidly growing HIV epidemic and the World Food Programme reporting that 64% of its population is “chronically food insecure,” it is not surprising that TB is so prevalent in the Philippines.
Links to Poverty
The organization Health Poverty Action puts it simply: “Poverty and TB are closely linked.” The spread of tuberculosis in the Philippines is closely associated with the living conditions of its sufferers – the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) states that TB is particularly common among the urban poor, who often have inadequate access to health care.
A report from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies also cites overcrowded living conditions as a factor that exacerbates the spread of TB among the urban poor.
Another issue standing in the way of eradicating TB is the financial barriers to treatment. A 2022 study published in ‘Global Health’ surveyed Filipinos living in a high-TB area and found that many cited “indirect expenses,” like the cost of transportation, as a factor that would incite them to avoid seeking care.
As drug-resistant TB becomes an ever-growing problem, many Filipinos are forced to travel to multiple different hospitals and health facilities to collect different prescriptions, at significant personal cost. This is because drug-resistant TB requires sufferers to cycle between different drugs in order to treat the disease. This type of treatment is expensive, especially since health services and the National Tuberculosis Program are “crucially underfunded,” according to researchers from the University of the Philippines.
The ‘Global Health’ study also noted the risk of unemployment as an important barrier to treatment – many respondents of the survey feared that they would be forced to take leave from their jobs if it was revealed that they were infectious, or that they would be unable to work due to side effects from treatment. In short, many simply could not afford to not work.
Fighting For Change
Although the Filipino government has made efforts to mitigate the cost to low-income households of TB treatment with its aforementioned National Tuberculosis Program, a 2022 study found that 42% of households with TB were still suffering “catastrophic costs” associated with the disease.
However, there have been some moderate steps forward. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Fund and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) expanded an existing initiative that employed motorcycle riders to transport specimens from patients’ homes to hospitals for evaluation – they can now transport medication from health care facilities to patients’ homes, alleviating the financial burden of transportation for TB patients.
In addition, in 2020, the Filipino Department of Health and the WHO Country Office in the Philippines created a “package of digital solutions,” aiming to collect more data and facilitate the reporting of TB cases, an area that still needs work. The applications do not require an internet connection and are able to track patient progress, allowing health care providers and patients easier access to information about TB treatment. This way, patients do not need to travel to the hospital just to remain informed about their treatment plans.
Looking Ahead
Eradicating tuberculosis in the Philippines is an achievable goal, but it will take a lot of time, effort and funding. Poverty is a key driver of communicable diseases, and the case of tuberculosis in the Philippines exemplifies this fact. A 2018 study found that eradicating global poverty would result in a 33% reduction in tuberculosis cases. Working towards this goal will be instrumental in saving lives, increasing productivity and eliminating tuberculosis in the Philippines for good.
– Abbi Powell
Photo: Flickr
How Tourism in Nicaragua Can Alleviate Poverty
Tourism in Nicaragua to Alleviate Poverty
In 2007, Manuel Vanegas and Robertico Croes authored a report on the relationship between economic growth, poverty and the expansion of tourism for Nicaragua’s economy. The results of the study found that tourism in Nicaragua has a positive effect on both development and economic growth.
The study looked further into the relationship between tourism, growth and poverty alleviation in Nicaragua, highlighting the need for government intervention to support growth within the tourism sector which would in turn help create more job opportunities. Vanegas and Croes also explained how foreign exchange earnings come mainly from tourism in developing countries such as Nicaragua.
Croes also looked at poverty alleviation using an error correction method and found that a 1% increase in tourism receipts reduces the poverty index in Nicaragua by 1.23 points.
Luxembourg Development
In 2005, the Nicaragua Institute for Tourism asked for financial support to develop a national program to support the growth of the tourism industry within the country. The Luxembourg ministry of foreign affairs via its department of Cooperation and Humanitarian action (Lux-Development) funded the project which aimed to promote tourism in regions where poverty is a major problem.
More specifically, Lux-Development placed its attention on education Nicaragua’s economy has been heavily reliant on informal sectors where workers have not had six years of primary schooling. Beginning in 2006, the Ministry funded the building of a platform of educational training for job creation and poverty reduction. Lux-Development also launched a five-year program in 2014, focusing on strengthening training and employability for young people in the tourism sector.
COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism in Nicaragua
Although a full evaluation of the economic effects of COVID-19 is still not conclusive, tourism in 2020 did decline from 1.46 million tourists to 474,000. However, World Bank figures show that the economy expanded by 10.3% in 2021 and a further 5% in the first half of 2022 with hotels and restaurants being one of the leading sectors.
Despite this achievement, employment percentages were 2% lower in the second quarter of 2022 in comparison to 2019 and 10% of formally employed individuals shifted to the informal sector in 2021. Furthermore, 28% of households reported a decline in total income.
Looking Forward
Nicaragua has successfully managed to sustain its tourism industry over the past 20 years, positively impacting employment and investment nationwide. Hopefully, as the effects of COVID-19 begin to lessen, the tourism sector will continue to develop and support the alleviation of poverty across the country.
– Amy Sergeant
Photo: Unsplash
Poverty Reduction Efforts by USAID In Ghana
Education
Education is one of the top five focuses of USAID in Ghana. This investment is critical because although Ghana reached a 100% primary school completion rate in 2020, many Ghanaian children reached the end of their primary education without basic literacy skills. For eight years and counting, the USAID Partnership for Education implements teacher-supported training for school officials, equipping them with tools to improve the quality of education. USAID also develops instructional materials that strike a balance between literacy in English and the 11 local languages spoken in Ghana.
Since 2014, USAID has provided learning materials for Ghanaian schools including teacher guides, alphabet cards and more all in hopes of crafting a new engaging curriculum and improving literacy rates. Most recently, in August 2022, USAID partnered with Ghana’s Ministry of Education to provide 3.7 million books to over 11,000 schools across Ghana. USAID chose material specifically designed to deliver interactive reading lessons to students. All the books selected were written, illustrated, edited and designed by Ghanaians to maintain a sense of relevancy and relatability to capture the attention of the students reading the material.
Overall, USAID’s partnership with the Government of Ghana resulted in the training of over 70,000 teachers, benefitting 750,000 students in some 16,000 schools across the country.
Agricultural and Food Security
Despite being one of the fast-growing economies in the world, low agricultural productivity negatively impacts Ghana’s long-term growth prospects. In response, USAID has provided $425 million to support Ghanaian farmers over the span of 10 years. USAID intervenes mainly in northern Ghana by promoting the production of diverse crop groups, improving storage and crop preservation and partnering with private firms to expand businesses.
Given ongoing global food security threats in 2022, USAID most recently provided emergency fertilizer assistance to smallholder farmers. The $2.5 million aid package ensures 100,000 smallholder farmers in Ghana have affordable fertilizer this planting season. In partnership with three other organizations, USAID delivered 360,000 bags of fertilizer, lifting the financial burden off the backs of these smallholder farmers who make up 70% of Ghanaian farmers.
Health
Despite advancements in health, northern Ghana struggles with high malnutrition rates in children under 5 and higher rates of child mortality. In response, USAID launched a five-year $29 million partnership with Ghana Health Services with the goal of improving maternal and newborn health. Through this effort, USAID focuses on best practices to help reduce preventable deaths. These include “sleeping under a treated bed net, delivering babies at health facilities, encouraging breastfeeding,” and more.
In the Future
According to the World Bank, Ghana’s poverty rate slightly increased to 25.5% in 2020 from 25% in 2019, reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, thanks to efforts by USAID and others, the goal is to aid as many vulnerable Ghanaians as possible to ensure prosperity for future generations.
– Blanly Rodriguez
Photo: Flickr
A Partnership for Women’s Economic Empowerment
One of the goals of decreasing global poverty is tackling historical inequities that disadvantage certain groups in society. Local, national and international institutions work to empower women in the economic sphere to bring together a variety of groups in society. Four agencies within the United Nations began a partnership to focus on economic empowerment for women in rural regions.
A new phase of the Joint Program: Accelerating Progress Toward Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) launched in March 2022 at the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. This program is a collaboration between five agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., the International Fund for Agricultural Development, U.N. Women, the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the World Food Program (WFP). As the breadth of involved agencies suggests, the program aims to build economic empowerment for rural women in the agricultural sector by increasing their ability to obtain resources and services enabling them to succeed in their own livelihoods. The intended result is a decrease in poverty in rural regions as women unify in communities and combat historically limiting social norms.
Phase 1
The first phase of the JW RWEE was launched in 2014 and ended in 2021. The focus regions were Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nepal, Niger and Rwanda. Results indicate that economic empowerment goals succeeded in raising agricultural production by 82% and assisting about 80,000 women. The new phase of the program also seeks to improve the lives of rural women through sustainable development.
The program is part of the larger 2030 Agenda to improve poverty in rural communities. Initiatives within the program include improving food security, increasing the income of rural women, strengthening skills in leadership and community and promoting gender inclusivity to complement the goal of economic empowerment. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Cooperation Agency provide funding.
Phase 2
The second phase of the program will focus on Nepal, Niger, the Pacific Islands, Tanzania and Tunisia. Norway and Sweden donated $25 million toward the initiative. In October 2022, one component of the program began in Tanzania. Over the course of five years, the program will cost $5 million and will target the provinces of Singida, Dodoma and Zanzibar in Tanzania. In that nation, subsistence farming contributes 80% of women’s income. Thus, the five-year JP RWEE will deliver economic empowerment in the form of agricultural assistance to provide resources and skills to combat changes in climate and leadership.
In Africa, the first phase of the JP RWEE assisted Ethiopia, Liberia, Niger and Rwanda. The new phase of the program will continue to assist the country in gender equality and economic empowerment. In addition, all countries in Africa agreed to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and many also agreed to the African Charter on Human and Women’s Rights. However, despite these efforts, women in Africa still continue to face discrimination on a regular basis. The African Union’s ten-year strategy for gender equality lasts until 2028, but leaders have expressed their commitment to reinforcing gender equality across the continent beyond that timeframe.
– Kaylee Messick
Photo: Flickr
Addressing the Rise of Knee Osteoarthritis in India
One of the most common forms of OA occurs in the knee. Knee osteoarthritis is linked to heavy physical labor, which is widespread across India’s rural communities. A 2016 study also found that the prevalence of OA was more common in India’s lower socioeconomic classes, leaving many of the affected people without the necessary resources to treat the condition.
As of now, there is no cure for knee osteoarthritis. Doctors typically promote non-pharmaceutical measures, like losing weight or trying certain exercises. There are some medical treatments that can alleviate pain, like hyaluronate injections, physical therapy and even surgery. But these treatments can be expensive and difficult to access, and people living in India’s rural villages may struggle to get to the right clinics.
Rising Risk Factors Among Women and the Elderly
Due to the growing elderly population in India, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis will increase over the next few decades. According to the National Statistical Office’s (NSO) Elderly in India Report authored in 2021, India’s elderly population is expected to reach 194 million by 2031 – a 41% increase over the next decade. The report emphasized the country’s rapidly changing population structure and stressed the importance of addressing the health of India’s elderly.
Among the elderly population, women are at particular risk for knee OA. While it does tend to affect men more than women before age 45, the disease is more common in women aged 45 and older. In the NSO’s 2021 report, researchers stated there would be 93 million males and 100 million females in 2031. With the increase in the elderly population, and with the majority of the elderly being female, knee OA is becoming a larger concern in India.
In addition, there has also been significant research on other risk factors for knee OA, including the role of obesity, inactivity and manual labor jobs. As emphasized in a Nigerian study, the occupational risk factors in manual labor professions — such as farming, trading and artisanship — can put individuals at a higher risk for developing knee OA. Twisting, awkward postures, heavy lifting and bending and frequent movement can all cause knee OA.
Seeking a Solution
Although there is currently no cure for knee OA, a group of researchers in India has made a medical breakthrough. In September 2022, the Drug Controller General of India approved Stempeutics’ StemOne, a new stem cell therapy for knee OA. StemOne will become India’s first commercially-available allogeneic cell therapy treatment for knee OA.
The Bangalore-based biotech company, Stempeutics, created StemOne using healthy bone marrow. With anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties aimed at reducing pain in the knee joint, the treatment can make daily tasks easier and the possibility of knee replacement surgery less likely. By stalling further deterioration in the joint cartilage, StemOne can deter future expenses and the lifelong disabilities caused by knee OA.
The treatment currently costs 125,000 Indian rupees, or roughly $1,500. Although a single injection can have effects lasting up to two years, the cost is still out of many peoples’ price range. For individuals with knee OA in rural communities or without the financial resources to afford StemOne, there are relatively few treatments available.
However, with more innovations like StemOne underway, there has been more attention on the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in India. Because of these research efforts, there is hope that there will be more accessible treatment options for all affected individuals in the future.
– Anna Lee
Photo: Flickr
Organizations Improving Health care Services in India
Rural Health Care Foundation
Founded in 2009, the Rural Health Care Foundation (RHCF) works to ensure that marginalized and poor communities in rural and urban areas have access to quality primary health care. The Rural Health Care Foundation mainly targets West Bengal. Across West Bengal, the Rural Health Care Foundation has over 20 clinics that have treated over 22 lakh patients. The Rural Health Care Foundation supplies their patients with “affordable medical consultations along with a week’s supply of free medication.”
The Helan Centre is one of the 20 centers founded by the RHCF. On December 30, 2017, the Helan Centre opened its doors in the Hooghly district. A variety of services are provided at the Helan Centre such as dentistry and optometry. This center is open six days a week for patients between 9 am and 5 pm. More than 37,000 patients have been seen and treated.
Foundation for Mother and Child Health
Foundation for Mother and Child Health is a grassroots organization that focuses on malnutrition and maternal health. It provides information sessions to inform marginalized families, especially mothers and pregnant women about developing healthy nutrition habits to prevent anemia and maternal mortality.
The organization mainly targets poor communities in Mumbai, assisting more than 60,000 low-income families in the city. In addition to this, birth weights have increased to 2.7kg from 1.5kg. Plus, through a few interventions, breastfeeding rates have increased by 70%. Notably, more than 900 lactating and pregnant women have greatly benefited from the various counseling and education session programs provided by Foundation for Mother and Child.
Doctors for You
Created in 2007, Doctors for You is an organization made up of doctors and medical students as well as those with a passion to see everyone in India get free access to health care services. There are many critical areas of focus for this humanitarian organization. Supplying medical care to marginalized areas during emergency situations is one way Doctors for You is providing access to necessary medical services.
Delhi is one of many cities hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to help those living in Delhi receive proper treatment, Doctors for You assisted in operating a COVID-19 facility. It consisted of 100 beds in Shehnai Banquet Hall. Doctors for You also ran a facility that consisted of two intensive care units and 150 beds as well as two outpatient departments.
Final Thoughts
Rural Health Care Foundation, Foundation for Mother and Child Health and Doctors for You are just three organizations of many that help marginalized families access health care services in India. These organizations potentially saved a lot of lives, especially the lives of children and newborn babies. Groups like these want every person living in India to have a better and brighter future, and that starts with access to health care. Without proper access to health care, the cycle of poverty and malnutrition will never end in India. These organizations do a tremendous job looking out for poor communities that are often overlooked.
– Yonina Anglin
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Rhoe Camp
5 Facts About the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Rhoe Camp
Although the DRC’s Rhoe Camp is still undergoing extensive humanitarian problems, the camp is making steady improvements due to international efforts. The U.N. and other global organizations are teaming up to distribute critical resources to the impoverished, alleviating the adversities faced by its inhabitants little by little.
– Emma He
Photo: Flickr