Haryana

“Raahe Haque Par Jo Chalogey to Rahogey Zinda, Zulm ko Gar Zulm Kahogey to Rahogey Zinda” The 5th State Level People’s Health Assembly by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Haryana has begun with this revolutionary song by Jatan Natya Kendra Haryana on September 09, 2018 at Rohtak, Haryana as part of preparations and mobilisation towards for NHA-3 Raipur and PHA-4 Savar, Bangladesh. “Time to Make Health and Healthcare a Fundamental Right is Now” was the central slogan of the assembly. The Assembly have been attended by around 200 elected delegates from more than 25 organisations working on health and social issues in the state of Haryana. This assembly was presided jointly by Dr. R. S. Dahiya, President, Haryana Gyan Vigyan Samiti and Ms. Savita, General Secretary, AIDWA. State Convener Mr. Satnam Singh have welcomed the delegates and presented the background and perspective of health assembly and the journey of PHM at Global, National and Haryana state level 2000. Dr. Amit Sengupta, from the National Team of JSA have inaugurated the Assembly. In his inaugural speech Amit have covered the National, International as well the state level issues concerned with health of people. He had discussed how the Government of India is handing over the healthcare facilities to the private sector. How the health services are turning in to a high profitable business. He criticized the target based private health services. How the pro-business and pro-private healthcare schemes & policies have damaged the public healthcare structure. The issues concerning health education, gender and health, strengthening of public health sector, access to medicines, safe drinking water, nutritious food, clean air and a proper space to live have also been covered. He pointed out the need of strengthening of PHM movement across the globe and said that a strong health rights movement is the only option to achieve the goal of Health for All. Dr. Madhu Nagla, Professor Sociology, MD University Rohtak has spoken on Gender & Health. How the women of this so-called No.1 and developed state are suffering from anaemia and other illnesses. Their working conditions, lack of appropriate education and intervention by government is claiming women and children life. How maximum schemes for women have only limited to the reproductive health. The government policies never account their real health issues and needs. Dr. Ajay Chhikara (Surgeon) and Dr. Sonia Dahiya (Gynae) have discussed the issues related to implementation of health schemes, availability of health services in government health facilities. Both the doctors have also raised and discussed the challenges faced by the honest doctors and other health workers. Dr. Dinesh Khosla (Paediatrician), a private practitioner discussed the lack of proper health education. He also pointed out the need of dissemination of scientific information related to health to the masses. Then all constituent organizations have intervened in the discussion reiterating the need of collective efforts for health rights movement. Subhash-a RTI activist, Surekha & Sunita from ASHA, Sheelawati & Savita from AIDWA, Rishikesh from Viklang Adhikar Manch Haryana, Sandeep Singh from DYFI, Rahul from SAKSHAM Haryana, Kapoor Singh from BNKU, Saroj from MDM Haryana, Sohandass from HGVS/AIPSN, Shesshpal from BGVS, Suresh from MPHE, Shakuntala from Aanganwadi, Veena Malik from Himmat, Ramneek from Saptrang, Vikram from LT association have participated in the discussion. All these people have presented the report of interventions done by their respective organizations in health rights movement as part of JSA Haryana. The report of last for years activities has been placed before the house by State Convener Satnam Singh. The major activities and campaigns carried out during last four years are: 1. Free Health Clinics (Twice a week) at three locations 2. Health Camps 3. Publication of a Quarterly Magazine named “Health Dialogue” 4. Publication of Booklets, Pamphlets, Brochures on various issues like Anaemia, Fever, Sanitation, Gender and Health, Working Conditions of Health Activists like ASHA. 5. Seminars on various issues like Women & Health (Rohtak 1 Seminar), Food Safety (Jind 2 seminar), Strengthening of Public Health Sector (Hisar 3 seminar). 6. Meeting of various District Core Committees 7. Agitation & Demonstrations for availability of proper facilities like medicines and other services at CHC, PHC level etc. Dr. R. S. Dahiya, Member State Secretariat of JSA & President Haryana Gyan Vigyan Samiti has concluded the discussion. And proposed the future activities: 1. Formation Village Level Committees (2 Village per District) as a pilot. 2. Publication of Two Posters (Fever, Anaemia), Two Booklets (Women Health, Health Status of Haryana) and One Book comprising of selected articles which have been published in our Magazine in last 9 years. 3. Inclusion of new organisations in the state JSA team.The strike and ongoing movement of different government employees’ associations of Haryana, specially, the MPHE, Nurses, Lab Technicians associations affected the attendance of Assembly. 4. Launch of Agitations for availability of health services (manpower, machines, buildings etc) at all levels. The Assembly have selected the 45 delegates to participate in NHA-3 to be held at Raipur on 22-23 September 2018. The Assembly ended with a play named “Ponga Panditon ki Jageh Jel Mein Hai” by Jatan Natya Kendra Haryana. In the end Ms. Savita, General Secretary of AIDWA, presented the vote thanks on behalf of presidium.