Health & Nutrition
Limited awareness about appropriate health and nutrition practices, poor diets, lack of access to appropriate health facilities, inadequate communication and transport systems – these are only some of the harsh realities that people face on a daily basis. Maternal and child morbidities and mortalities are high. Floods and cyclones create more health hazards.

Sabuj Sangha’s health and nutrition initiatives are aimed at reducing maternal and child morbidities and mortalities as well as improving general health amongst families. There is an emphasis on enabling deprived rural and urban communities to increase their awareness of health and nutrition issues, promote positive practices and access mandated schemes and services. Sabuj Sangha has a strong curative health component where it provides specific services. In addition to this, Sabuj Sangha is involved in implementing various schemes in partnership with the state health and family welfare department under the National Rural Health Mission.




Key Activities

Rural Health and Training Centre

Sabuj Sangha established Rural Health and Training Centre (also known as Swarnalata Sabuj Seva Sadan) in 2007. It is a high quality health care facility to cater for the needs of the deprived rural population of the Sundarbans. Maternal and child health represents a key area for the RHTC. Therefore, a maternity ward operation theatre and labor room facilities are available. It also runs a general Out Patient Department (OPD), pathology, radiology, ECG, optical, 24-hour Emergency Unit and pharmacy services. Ambulance services by boat and car are also available.
No Category Cases
1 OPD (MCH) 885
2 OPD (General) 1039
3 Pathology 1072
4 USG 207
5 ECG 131
6 X-ray 396
7 Emergency 16
8 Surgery – Gynecological 8
9 Other Surgeries 14
10 General 143
Total 9911

Community Delivery Centre

Community Delivery Centres, an initiative under the National Rural Health Mission, cater to all women. The emphasis is on enabling women from remote habitats to access services for institutional delivery. This government scheme focuses on areas with negligible presence of public health services. Sabuj Sangha’s Outreach Centre (ORC) in Herambagopalpur was recognized as a community delivery centre in 2009. Between April 2009 to March 2010, 128 deliveries were conducted at the ORC. Additionally, the ORC provides general curative health services.


Community Health Promoters

Also known as Swasthya Sevikas, Community Health Promoters are trained at RHTC. Key aspects covered include care during pregnancy, institutional delivery and postnatal care for women. Overall, the health workers are involved in creating awareness on maternal and child health issues and practices and enabling communities to access mandated schemes and benefits. They track pregnant women and children in their communities and provide support in terms of accessing health care services and providing advice. The child health and nutrition component places on emphasis on breastfeeding and subsequently complementary feeding, reducing common childhood ailments, immunization and growth monitoring and promotion.

Improving Access to Mandated Services and Schemes

The Community Health Promoters and staff members help link communities with service providers so that they can access mandated services and schemes. An increasing number of women are benefiting from government schemes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana and Ayushmati schemes with Sabuj Sangha providing the medium allowing them to available of them.


Enhancing Capacities of Stakeholders

Here, the focus is on converging resources for maximum reach and effectiveness. Key stakeholders such as Self-Help Group (SHG) members, Community Health Promoters, staff, and local Panchayat members are involved in various capacity building activities. Inputs related to local health and nutrition concerns and issues are provided and the stakeholders are encouraged to discuss and act on them.


Conducting Health Camps

A range of general health and hygiene camps as well as specific maternal and child health camps are conducted to improve overall health in the communities and to ensure safe delivery of children. In addition to this, school health camps are conducted to raise awareness of health issues among the younger community.


Results: Community Health Programme of MVSD

• 98% of pregnant women registered at government sub centres - 1677 out of 1702 women

• 60% of children received complete primary immunization – 2641 children

• Growing awareness among women and their families about the need for antenatal checkups and institutional delivery.

• Health workers have evolved as an important local resource for information on maternal and child health issues and services.

• Growing understanding of various aspects of child care and feeding at community level.
Results: Urban Health Intervention of Wean to Win

• 220 pregnant women and their 171 children received care and were tracked during the programme period (2206-2010).

• From 2009 – 2010, 32 Trained Bath Attendants (TBAs) were trained in safe delivery. Moreover, TBAs were directly responsible for 43 institutional deliveries.

• 68 health check-up camps were conducted with over 1910 community members attending.

• Linkages between local communities and health service delivery system were enhanced with women accessing services at 9 local government sub-centres.