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Ranchi Archdiocesan Health Services

The Goal of the Archdiocesan Health Team Achievement During the Two Past Years Purnea-Raniganj Health Services Philosophy of the Community Health Centre Thrust of Activities Strategy Major Community Health Projects Undertaken and Achievements

Sister Jyoti Soreng and Sister Esther Pratiti Kerketta served the Archdiocese in the capacity of Health Co-ordinators from 01.05.1989 to 01.03.1996.  They were fully responsible for the following during their term of office:

• Training the Village Health promoters, the follow up of their training, and conducting refresher courses regularly giving guidance to the nurses in the dispensaries by visiting them and organizing meetings, courses and seminars.
• Training village midwives for conducting safe delivery.
• Promoting Mother Child Health Programme.
• Starting School Health Programme in the village schools of the diocese.
• Promoting herbal medicines through seminars.
• Conducting seminars and also attending meetings at both state and national levels.

At present Sister Jacinta Lakra is on the Health Team of the Archdiocese and is deeply interested in the promotion of Health Care and keeps herself up-to-date with the recent trends, practical and applicable to the people here.

The Goal of the Archdiocesan Health Team

It aims at the promotion and achievement of Holistic ealth - physical, mental, spiritual and economical well being of all people in order to build a healthy society.

Its Strategy for Integrated approach is to:

• Organize health awareness programmes.
• Prepare Core Group Level Basis for planning and conduct training, monitoring evaluation activities.
• Train Village Health Workers
• Collaborate with Government Health Authorities and N.G.Os. and other Agencies in the area of health development.
• Get schools involved in the Health Care of students, family and community.

Achievement During the Two Past Years

Having met and discussed on Health issues of the area, a joint action has been planned out.

• Members have joined hands with people's movement.
• In 160 villages, Village Health Workers have been selected and trained in Herbal Medicines and Primary Health Care.  Every year there is a follow up seminar for them.
• In each village one or two women are trained to take care of the pregnant mothers and the infants.
• In 54 villages, a one day seminar was conducted to educate mothers in the right process of preparing nutritious food and to teach them the habit of preparing balanced diet with locally available resources from the kitchen garden.
• Three days' seminar was given in the Centre by the Health Team to remove superstitious practices and traditional birth attendants in the villages.  The follow up takes place regularly.
• Monthly meetings with Village Health Workers and the evaluation of their work is regular.
• Programmes are conducted to educate for better health and hygiene for the prevention of epidemic and endemic diseases.
• In 35 villages, a one day seminar was conducted to get people organized to fight for their right to life and health.
• To give midwife training to traditional birth attendants.
• To empower Village Health Workers with Community ealth and Herbal Training.

Purnea - Raniganj Health Services

The name of Rev. Fr. James Stuart Tong S.J. is surely familiar to most medical personnel.  He served the Catholic Hospital Association of India (CHAI), New Delhi as its Director for 17 years, after which he was inspired to form a New Association to be available to Health Institutions of all communities.  The project was called the Coordinating Agency for Health Planning in India (CAHPI), which came to function under the name of Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) in 1974, which he headed as the Executive Director for ten years.  He valued his years of working in VHAI.  In his own words there remain many new opportunities, such as developing health components for adult education and development movements, improving School health and health education, human rights and liberation movements, holistic health, international inspiration and co-operation etc.  He said, "On earth I work for a world community.  I think of it as a symbol of the ultimate and ideal heavenly community".  He directed his entire life and work towards making this idea a reality.  An ideal community had to be a healthy community.  Maintenance of health was the goal.  He strived to develop a theology and philosophy of good health.  The key to success in community health meant people's participation where the whole community together decided on their needs and how best to meet them.

Fr. Tong was sublimely spiritual-minded and preferred to spend two hours daily in prayer and contemplation.  He had healthy habits and fixed daily routine of work.  He breathed his last on August 5, 1986.

In blessed memory of this great personality, Bihar Voluntary Health Association exists and since 3-4 years its member Institutions are being awarded - "Fr. Tong Memorial Award" for praiseworthy services, as an inspiration from their work experiences.

Sister Cecile Ekka, incharge of the Community Health Centre, Ursuline Convent, Purnea, was the recipient of Fr. James Tongo Memorial Award for Community Health Promoter at the 30th AGDM of BVHA at Rajgir, Nalanda on August 20, 1998.

Sr. Cecile has been working for more than 40 years as a committed and dedicated Village Health Worker in Kundli and Purnea.  The latter situated in North-Bihar is surrounded by the Kosi river in the West, the Ganges in the South and the Mahananda in the East. It is a flood area of little over 13000 sq. Kms. of sandy flat land, dry in summer and flooded during the monsoon.  There are large swampy areas as well.  According to the census of 1991, the population of Purnea District is 18,76,267.  It has four Subdivisions and 14 Blocks.

They have been able to work only in 3 Blocks - Purnea East, Krityanandnagar and Damdaha.  For the school health programme they took other schools from the District of Katihar, Kisanganj and Arrarea.

Philosophy of the Community Health Centre

1. Awareness building of good health, physically, mentally and socio-economically.
2. To promote a healthy family.
3. To reduce birth and mortality rate.
4. Practise naturopathy and indigenous medicines.

Thrust of Activities

1. Health Education on Mother and Child Care, Nutrition, Balanced Diet, Good Hygiene Practice.
2. Immunization of pregnant mothers and children under 5, and school children with vaccines and medicines.
3. Natural Family Planning Programme.
4. Midwife Training.
5. Diarrhoea prevention.
6. Implementation of Naturopathy and home remedies.
7. School Health Programme.

Strategy

Health activities are for the people in the villages and children in the schools.  Women from the villages are put to work in groups.  For School Health Programme, Headmasters/Headmistresses are contacted.  School teachers are given training, students learn from teachers and each other, they contact their parents and neighbours.

Major Community Healthy Projects Undertaken and Achievements

Mid-wife Training:- Fourteen ladies were trained.  A mid-wife is accepted in the community.  She conducts 80 to 90 deliveries.

Natural Family Planning:- Forty ladies in a year were trained - learning theory in the centre each month and practice teaching to target groups in the villages.  Each trained lady had to contact 20 ladies every month i.e. within 6 months 120 ladies to be contacted.  The first village animators received Rs. 50/- each per month.  Transportation being poor, they had to walk great distances.  This programme was sponsored by Mrs. Dr. K. Dorai Raj - "All India Natural Family Planning Institute, Noida, U.P."

School Health Orientation Programme for Primary and Middle School Teachers; Nineteen teachers attended a two day programme.

Subjects :

1. Introduction to Naturopathy.
2. Common sickness prevailing in students and its treatment.
3. Vaccination available for preventive care. 
   There were demonstration classes and the Action Plan was also made.