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A unique expedition to support public health in
Chhattisgarh
Corporate lawyer raises nearly Rs 15 Lakh for an Oxfam India-supported health care
clinic in Ganiyari village in Bilaspur district
July 26, 2011: To raise funds for Oxfam India’s health care efforts in Chhattisgarh,
Somasekhar Sundaresan, a corporate lawyer from Mumbai climbed Sudarshan Parbat in
the Indian Himalayas, summiting on June 5, 2011. Through this initiative, an amount of
Rs [14.85] lakhs was raised for the people of rural Bilaspur area of Chhattisgarh.
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Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS), a partner of Oxfam India is working in Bilaspur district of
Chhattisgarh since 1999. Its activities are primarily related to advocacy for the issues
related to primary health care in the area. The project involves providing health care in 53
villages, directly to 26,000 people. In addition, the population served by JSS’ Community
Health Programme is over 300,000 with the predominant population belonging to
tribal and dalit communities. JSS chose the tribal and rural areas of Bilaspur district in
Chhattisgarh State because of its poor health and development indices that are aggravated
by the lack of an effective health-care infrastructure.
Over the past decade, JSS has succeeded in highlighting issues of hunger and heath and
has lobbied for the price control of essential drugs. It has also successfully advocated for
the adoption of the system of rice intensification in dry land areas in order to increase
food production.
Wanting to do something for the people of Chhattisgarh who have been deprived of the
fruits of development for long, Somasekhar decided to dedicate his participation in the
expedition to summit Sudarshan Parbat to supporting Oxfam and JSS for the health care
initiative in Chattisgarh.
“I am happy to be associated with Oxfam India’s intervention with healthcare in
Chhattisgarh, which needs serious attention in the area of human development and
public health. I hope my effort is useful in addressing the root of what leads to
underdevelopment and internal conflict”, said Somasekhar.
“Oxfam India is really pleased at the initiative of Somasekhar Sundaresan to raise
awareness and support for the people of Chhattisgarh. Given the scale of our country’s
problems, we need many more people like him who can engage actively to solve our
problems” said Nisha Agrawal, CEO, Oxfam India.
Some facts related to Oxfam India's work in Chhattisgarh:
• The population served at Ganyari health clinic supported by Oxfam India is over
300,000, and that served by the subcentres is around 75000.
• More than 1385 surgeries and 40,155 consultations have taken place at the
Ganyari clinic
• Better availability of food and nutrition to the rural Bilaspur area thus reducing
the levels of under nutrition to less than 10%.
• Reduction in morbidity and maternal and infant mortality rate.
• Treatment of chronic illness like tuberculosis, malaria and leprosy.
• Policy changes in Government towards more rational and gender sensitive health
care provision, and better access to drugs.
About Oxfam India:
Oxfam is celebrating its 60th year in India this year. It is fitting that in this historic
year for the Oxfam family, Oxfam India has just been inducted as a fully independent,
Indian organization (with Indian staff and an Indian Board) into the Oxfam International
Confederation. Oxfam India is the newest and 15th member of this Confederation.
The Oxfams are rights-based organizations that fight poverty and injustice by linking
grassroots programming (through partner NGOs) to local, national and global advocacy
and policy-making. All of Oxfam’s work is framed by our commitment to five broad
rights-based aims: the right to a sustainable livelihood, the right to basic social services,
the right to life and security, the right to be heard and the right to equality: gender and
diversity.
Oxfam India's vision is to create a more equal, just, and sustainable world. The
overarching vision of Oxfam India is ``right to life with dignity for all‘‘. Oxfam India
will fulfill its vision by empowering the poor and marginalized to demand their rights,
engaging the non poor to become active and supportive citizens, advocating for an
effective and accountable state and making markets work for poor and marginalized
people.
Oxfam India works in partnership with 200 grassroots NGOs working all over India to
address root causes of absolute poverty and inequality in the following 4 areas:
• Economic Justice - More women and men will realize their right to secure and
sustainable livelihoods.
• Essential Services - People living in poverty especially women and girls will
realize their rights to accessible and affordable health, education, and food.
• Gender Justice - Many more women will gain power over their lives and live
free from violence through changes in attitudes, ideas and beliefs about gender
relations, and through increased level of women's active engagement and critical
leadership in institutions, decision-making and change processes.
• Humanitarian Response and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) - All women and
men in humanitarian cries will be assured both the protection and the assistance
they require, regardless of who or where they are or how they are affected, in a
manner consistent with their human rights.
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