Five countries India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan and China – collectively accounted for half or nearly 37.5 lakh of all global deaths in children younger than five years. India presently accounts for nearly 20% of the world's child deaths. In terms of numbers, it is the largest number of child deaths (approximately 15.8 lakh) under the age of five years in any country. The reasons for this are a large birth cohort (2.6 crore) and child population (15.8 crore in the age group 0–6 years) and a relatively high child mortality rate (59 per 1,000 live births). (Ref: nhm.gov.in)
The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Government of India, for healthy mother and child already has a well defined strategic approach to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in India. India has made considerable progress over the last two decades in the sector of health. However, latest data and trends emerging from the national surveys demand a cohesive approach to manage child and maternal health care. Increasingly across the globe, there is an emphasis on establishing the 'continuum of care' which includes integrated service delivery in various life stages including the adolescence, prepregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period, childhood and through reproductive age. This is a vision also for Maya Foundation to build a more inclusive society in India with better healthcare reach within the district.
This year I feel the best project at Maya Foundation was Geriatric health care service providers (SASTHYA SATHI) workshop. The project on “BHAROSA Geriatric Care “ is a vocational training program for adolescent women (SWAWLAMBAN) with financial assistance from West Bengal Women Development Undertaking (WBWDU), an intense 4 months training was given to about 30 trainees - all women, who were selected after an interview (For 3 months, 6 days each and 1 month of hands on training) Selected trainees from specific target group were trained. There was also a special drive on “Entrepreneurship 6 Donations to Maya Foundation is exempted from Income Tax under 80 G (5) (vi) IT Act of 1961 development programme (BSKP loan tie up for self employment) aspect of Swawlamban Trainees. This was a very successful program as all those who were trained here found full time employment.
There were many more successful projects this year aligned to our values and we were able to impact the areas we were aiming to do. There were challenges met and with care and concern, issues were solved. The team at Maya Foundation took each day forward to bring about change in all areas in small measures. Care was taken to do enough projects in Social Health Improvement, Children Social Integration & Education, Women Social Empowerment through livelihood for socio economic development and Social Bonding Enhancement.
In the upcoming years we at Maya Foundation would like to do much more in the area of Development of MHP (Menstrual Hygiene Program). It would lead to make Indian girls more and more health conscious which always gets diverted by myths and taboos. The aim is also to minimize anemia in adolescent health group, prevention of early child marriage, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and awareness about various types of female hygiene. There is much to be done in this area and we need to focus our energy, strategy and special attention to make an impression and impact. Healthcare in this area needs a lot more attention if a visible change is to be made.