ICDS Students surgeries - most satisfying intervention

I remember in 2002-03 working at Cooch Behar as ADM Development, visiting several ICDS and Health Centres noticed that children from economically weaker sections in villages can't afford adequate nutrition and health care and this is the main reason for their poor body growth physically as well as mentally.

• My experience to make frequent visits to villages, in the interiors and interacting with people at their door step to enquire on actual reach of Govt.'s services/ benefits on health, child care, nutrition, social pensions and similar individual benefit oriented services, shaped my decision making skills towards more humane.
• This is the zeal to gain more satisfaction by way of appreciation by those benefited and encouragement received from well wishers, that led me to always think some new ways and innovations to help the poorest of the poor.
• I have been associated with several instances of extending helping hands to so many people in providing treatments, education and social pensions or rehabilitation of physically challenged/ shelter less using good offices of the posts I held. But, I am most satisfied to have successfully planned and executed innovative scheme of surgical treatments of school and ICDS children in Burdwan district.
• I have experience of conducting health check up of all school students in Nadia district in 2008-09 when we arranged doctors from Kolkata also to conduct check ups at Health Centre level and later, arranged check up by specialists for some of them.
• In Burdwan, we planned and successfully conducted health check up of 9.6 lakhs students in 2010-11 and later organised treatment of all those found with ailments.
• 563 students were supported with full treatment costs at Private and Govt hospitals at Govt cost up to Rs 1.2 lakhs per patient. All these operations were done in 2012, some still going on.
• Last year, we decided to do screening of small kids between 3 to 6 years of age at ICDS Centres through growth chart monitoring. There are 9300 plus ICDS centres in Burdwan district, one in each village/ ward for every 1000 population where one ICDS worker and one helper takes care of their feeding, taking weight on monthly basis to record growth with age, pre school education, immunisation etc.
• When we started, weighing efficiency of these centres was only 70-75%. That means, weight of 25-30 percent children attending the ICDS centres was never recorded. More than that, enrollment efficiency was less than 70 percent i.e. 30 percent of eligible children in age group 3 yrs to 6 years were never enrolled in ICDS. In order to improve these parameters, we provided spring scales, flat weighing machines to each ICDS worker in 2010 and 2011 and asked them to ensure that weight of all children must be recorded in growth chart for individuals. They were asked to visit house to house just like pulse polio programme and record their weights every month. We must thank the workers of ICDS and CDPOs that weighing efficiency increased to 94 percent of enrolled and more than 90 percent of eligible children population now in 2012-13. Growth charts were updated and children falling under red and yellow zone of the growth chart were tracked in ICDS projects.
• There are 39 projects in Burdwan district. More than 5.6 lakhs children are enrolled. 3400 children were found to be severe to moderate malnourished, tracked as per growth chart monitoring. Our workers took them to Medical Officers and got them medically examined in last six months. Based on medical examinations, kids with serious ailments were referred to specialists in Govt hospitals and private facilities. So far, 146 children have been referred for surgical intervention for cardiac problems, orthopaedic, kidney and hernia related disorders.
• We are happy that full responsibility of surgical costs and treatment has been taken care under the Innovative Health project initiated by District Administration.
• Roni Mete, 4 years from Bonkati GP of Kanksa ICDS Project had problem of heart and as per advice of doctors surgery was the only option. His father Nirad Mete is a poor tribal, who can't afford cost of Rs 1.5 lakhs claimed by the Durgapur Mission Hospital. Our workers got him checked and referred application for assistance. We agreed and sanctioned Rs 1.20 lakhs to the Mission Hospital last week. Dr Satyajit Bose, Cardiac Surgeon and Head of the Mission Hospital has agreed to charge 80 percent of the cost of surgeries for the children referred under this special project. Roni was successfully operated upon to close VS on 4th April 2013. His parents are happy to have got the support, which they could never imagine.
• Four other children already funded for surgeries in this week, each Rs 1.20 lakhs. We have Rs 75 lakhs arranged under the innovative fund and we are hopeful of supporting all those identified by our dedicated teams at ICDS centres.
• May also read http://teamburdwan.blogspot.in/2013/04/cardiac-surgery-of-icds-kids-at-govt.html

It's really the most satisfying job we could perform as administrator. Well done TEAM BURDWAN.