Public Health

Some of the major health issues haunt the suburbs of India. Communicable and non-communicable diseases alike, are a major concern. Public health is another area of focus for us, where DAS intervenes in all its locations through awareness programs, training and advocacy.

Over 100,000 people were served with curative care via health camps and clinics over the years. Additionally, over 100,000 people have been provided awareness of community health. DAS works with local authorities with people in the forefront to ensure they get access to primary health care based on their basic right to health. Awareness has enabled the communities comprising people from scheduled caste and scheduled tribes, to access the health entitlements under Janani Suraksha Yojana, Rastriya Swastha Bima Yojana, Rastriya Bal Swastha Kariyakram and Rastriya Kishor Swastha Kariyakram across locations. Here are some of the active programs, DAS intervenes on:

• Anaemia Eradication: Most of the marginalized adolescents and women are suffering from anaemia during their pregnancy and lactation period
• Nutrition: Nutritional support to children, adolescents and mothers through direct Support and Awareness
• Health Check-up Camps & Hygiene Awareness: Among urban and rural marginalized population
• Management of pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, dengue and malaria

With community-driven activities, accessibility to health care has become possible for all people of all backgrounds in all DAS regions. Advocacy and continuous dialogue with the authorities have led to the strengthening of the government health care centres and are now available in many remote regions as well.

With help of individual donors, volunteers and partners such as GOAL India, CINI, USAID, CAF, DHFL Pramerica, NDTV, to name a few, DAS has been able to run its public health project over the years expanding its reach every year. But we realise, especially with the pandemic COVID-19 in play, there is much more work left to attain better health and to empower communities for generations to come.