Assam

Assam JSA Convention Held ****************** The Assam State Chapter of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) organised its 3rd. State level Convention on September 9 last at Bhagawati Prasad Baruah Bhavan in Guwahati. The Convention was jointly organised by the Ellora Vigyan Mancha, Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Assam and Medical and Sales Reprentatives’ Union, popularly known as CRU(NER). However, representatives from several other organisations also participated. These organisations were : the Kasturba Gandhi Memorial National Trust, Assam Science Society, North East Network, Assam Network for Positive People,  Piramal Foundation, Doctor’s for You, ASHA and Anganwari Workers ‘ Union, AIDWA, Nursing Home Employees’ Union, MISSAT, Karunadhara, etc. Few students and Faculty members from IIT, Guwahati and TISS, Guwahati Campus also participated in the Convention. The well attended Convention was co-chaired by Dr. Chandra Mohan Sarma,the President of Ellora Vigyan Mancha and Ms.Madhuri Medhi, former President of GVS, Assam. The Convention was attended and addressed by Dr. T. Sundararaman, one of the National Convenors of the JSA. The Draft of the Convention was placed by JSA’s  State Convenor Bijan Das. In his report, Das briefly touched the history of formation of the JSA in Assam in July 2000 and the present state of affairs of the Network. While dealing with the Health Policies of the successive governments, he presented a worrisome picture of the Assam’s Health Sector and stressed the need to consolidate and expand the broad platform of the movements for ‘Right to Health and Healthcare’. Dr. Sundararaman, in his speech,  explained the broad contour and character of the JSA which forms the Regional Circle of the World People’s Health Movement. He added, the NHA-3 aims to address the urgent need to defend public health systems and prevent rampant privatisation of public healthcare services. The overarching theme for the NHA-3 would be “The time to make health and healthcare a fundamental right now”,  Sundararaman stated. At the end of the two-day programmes, the assembly shall adopt a People’s Health Manifesto which will be shared with all the political parties and policy makers with the aim of realising health and healthcare as a fundamental right. The NHA-3 at Raipur would be followed by the World People’s Health Assembly at Dhaka from 15 November next, Sundararaman added. The Convention was also addressed by Northeast Coordinator of the JSA, Isfaqur Rahman. The Convention elected a New State Committee of the JSA in Assam with Dr. Anil Choudhury as President, Dr. Anita Roy Saha as Working President and Rahul Purakayastha as its Secretary. The Committee will be broad-based with the inclusion of individuals and representatives from various organisations working in the field of health and healthcare rights. A list of around 40 persons was also prepared for participation in the NHA-3 at  Raipur scheduled to be held on  22-23 September next.