Health Camp at Kadamtola Kopahtoli char
A visit was made to Kadamtola Kopahtoli char, Mondia Block on 15 July 2011 with the Barpeta Boat Clinic Unit II. The team reached the Manikpur ghat at around 930 hours. At Manikpur ghat the road was muddy and slippery. We had to cross a small stream near the ghat to reach our boat with everyone in the team holding their shoes and slippers in their hand. During the journey breakfast was served and the nurses and the Pharmacist helped in the process. Deepamoni Begum, the pharmacist was unwell , though she attended the camp.
During the journey there were discussions on the visit of the representative of CDC, Atlanta the previous day. After about one and half hours the boat reached the Kodamtola Kopahtoli ghat and the camp was organized at the Kodamtola M E School. A large crowd had already gathered at the school when we reached. The temporary health unit was set up immediately inside the school. The school was having summer holidays and the team could use it for conducting the health camp. Pharmacy was setup in the boat itself as the boat was anchored close to the school. During monsoons the boat reaches inside the villages.
Medical officers Dr Soleman Khan and Dr Shah Alom checked up the patients in the temporary OPD setup inside the school building assisted by the laboratory technician and nurses. Community Workers Reyhan Ali, Montaz Ali Khan and Wahabur Rahman were busy organizing the crowd and distributing advice slips to the patients. At times they were seen to be in difficulty of controlling the large crowd and everyone wanted to be the first to take the slips. The DPO and the Community workers called on the ASHA workers to organize the crowd and this was also done by taking support from the elders in the village. Finally the crowd settled down.
Later an awareness meeting was organized wherein there were discussions on IMR and MMR , their extremely poor figures for Assam and why care of the young mothers was very important. The importance of Family Planning was also highlighted.
During the return journey the boat stopped at a char and offered a lift to five young girls students from Ramapara Pathar who were returning from Kodomtola High School . They were students of class IX & X. While talking to them we got to know that they have to swim and cross three streams in the Brahmaputra after classes are over because sometimes they do not get boats. The girls were smart and had the urge and will to do well in the Class X exams. This kind of a situation is unimaginable in most parts of India.
The three community workers spoke on the six killer diseases which proves fatal for infants and how the process of routine immunization helps in reducing the IMR. On being asked about the biggest problem in society today they pointed out about population growth. They were also told about the schemes of NRHM where the mothers, men and women could beneficially take advantage. The community workers mentioned that all the efforts of the people to take support from the district level NRHM institutions should be routed through the Boat Clinic so that they could help them in organizing.
ANM Jilima Begum shared some of her struggles in life during the journey. She said that her father had died when she was at school and she and her elder sister with her mother had to take care of the family especially her two brothers. With great difficulty they were able to manage for the admission of one of her brother at NIT, Silchar Enginering College. With the package of ANM (prior to NRHM revision) she said that life was very difficult for her, although she was managing with the support of her sister and brother-in-law. Then she also had to look after the needs of her youngest brother who was studying higher secondary in science in Guwahati and staying in a private hostel. She said that when she was getting Rs 6,000/- as an ANM in Boat Clinic, it was the toughest period of her life as she had to manage her home and the needs of here two brothers. She was relieved after her salary was revised to Rs 14,000/- recently. We found her strong and determined and fighting in the resolve to make the careers of her brothers and live a life of dignity. She said she was happy with what she has been doing for the communities of the char areas.
At the health camp there were 18 ANCs, 24 RIs, and 191 general Health Checkups. The camp which started at 1130 hours ended at 1530 hours. We reached the ghat at 1700 hours and started the return journey to Guwahati. The Pharmacist, laboratory technician and an ANM Jilima Begum accompanied in our car.
A report by Sanjay Sharma , Associate Programme Manager C-NES