“Homoeopathic intervention in maistream schools & community in urban slums for children with learning, developmental & mental health disorders”
The institute has undertaken a challenging project under AYUSH- Public Health Initiative (PHI) Project. The purpose of this project is to identify and care for children with learning dysfunctions and mental health dysfunctions in the community. 5 public schools in the M and N ward areas were adopted as a main resource for intervention of this project. Mobile vans that offered medical services to the community were also instrumental in identifying.
Spandan’s Public Health Initiative with AYUSH – Flow Chart Indicating our Methodology
GEOGRAPHICAL ARES COVERED:
- Ramabai ambedkar Nagar- N ward
- Kamraj Nagar-N Ward
- Shivaji Nagar-M Ward
- Mohite Patil Nagar-M Ward
- Shivneri / Chicku Wadi-M Ward
- Samta colony-M Ward
- PantNagar-M Ward
- Deonar- M ward
- Govandi- M ward
| Sr No. | Geographical area and Ward | School | Approx. No. of Children. |
| 1 | Pant Nagar Ward – ‘N’ | B. M. C. School No.3 | 1000 |
| 2 | Ramabai ambedkar Nagar Ward – ‘N’ | B. M. C. School No.1 | 900 |
| 3 | Ramabai Nagar Ward – ‘N’ | B. M. C. School No.2 | 700 |
| 4 | Mankhurd Ward – ‘M’ | Mohite Patil School | 2000 |
| 5 | Deonar Ward-M | B.M.C.school 1 & 2 | 3926 |
| 6 | Deonar Ward-M | B.M.C.school 3 | 987 |
| 7 | Ramabai ambedkar Nagar Ward – ‘N’ | Joymax School | 401 |
| 8 | Mankhurd Ward – ‘M’ | Project Crayon and Slum Children | 518 |
| NUMBER OF STUDENT’S SCREENED | 10432 |
Although surrounded by hundreds of slums, eastern express highway on Mankhurd makes wonderful landscape early morning. Area becomes extremely busy with mornings traffic on highway as well as migrant people waking up early going for work for daily wages. On that unfortunate day – when sunshine had started spreading across the camp – we heard horrifying scream of people caught in fire which was spreading rapidly in Mandala slums.
When we go into the dynamics of tragic event, we discover that Mankhurd is a battle field of various political and social parties having their own interest & motives.
Even according to news paper reports, a major fire broke out in suburban mankhurd on that particular Saturday morning. The fire spreads to five godowns in the Indra nagar slums around 4 am. In an interesting coincidence, about one third of a sprawling slum of 3000 houses, spread over 20 acres and located 10 minutes west of mankhurd railway station, mysteriously went up in flames on Thursday ,after associates of additional collector of Chembur, Dhananjay began a demolition drive. According to FIRE BRIGARDE’S bi annual fire report ,around 1200 fires have broken out between may and October in year 2010.
A survey was conducted by BMC in conjunction with authorities from the directorate of municipal administration and it was published in DNA on September 16, 2010. According to this survey, 4.93 lacs family, about 25 lacs people live in abject poverty. People who fall in below poverty line-BPL earn less than RS. 591 Per month and devoid of basic urban facilities like toilets and telephones etc. With 69500 odd families M/E ward (MANKHURD, GOVANDI,DEONAR) stands second in the list.
Salient Features:
- Screening more than 11,000 students from municipal schools & slum areas and treating more than 3000 children.
- Conducting psychological testing of over 2500 children.
- Organizing successful seminars, awareness campaigns and workshops that have benefited 1200 teachers from mainstream schools. These events were held to sensitize teachers to handle children with disabilities and about role of Homoeopathy in their management.
- Around 2200 parents of affected children were oriented about their child’s disabilities and therapeutic options including Homeopathy.
- Regular ongoing treatment, counseling and follow up of students are conducted. Spandan’s doctors, psychologists and social workers regularly interact with class teachers and parents on weekly basis for effective implementation.
- In order to involve parents, meetings were organized by Spandan in their locality. Teachers, Principals of the municipal schools and community leaders also participated in these meetings and motivated parents to avail of facilities provided by Spandan.
- Spandan has also introduced value education programmes for school children where their teams of doctors, psychologists, social workers in coordination with schoolteachers conduct group interactions. The team focuses on management of various emotions like anxiety, anger, sadness etc through stories, games, role-playing etc.
45% of children covered under the project showed 75% improvement while 25% of children showed 50-60% improvement in their scholastic performance, behavior and attention span. Principal and teachers appreciated the changes taking place.
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