Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 06, 2009:
The incessant concern for welfare and upliftment of the society in its area of responsibility has translated into a number of civic action projects undertaken by 57 Mountain Division.
One such project undertaken by the Division in the state of Manipur is "Health Angels Initiative".
After having gone through 15 weeks of rigorous training in First Aid and Basic Maternal & Child Health, the fifteen young girls from the remote villages surrounding Leimakhong will be initiated into the noble profession of service to humanity through a convocation which will be held at Red Shield Auditorium, Leimakhong on 07 Sep 2009. Ph Parijat, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of Manipur will be the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Other dignitaries who would be attending the convocation ceremony of the Health Angels are the Director and Dy Director of Health Services, Govt of Manipur, eminent doctors, military officials, village headmen, prominent citizens and the parents of Health Angels.
From the observations and experiences gathered through a large number of medical camps conducted by the Division in its area of responsibility, it was realized that majority of the medical problems in the remote villages were due to poor socio economic condition of the population which debarred them from access to the health infrastructure available in the state.
Further, this is compounded by lack of knowledge which prevents them from taking remedial measures.
Though medical aid has been provided from time to time in the remote localities of the state, a re-look was undertaken to improve the health condition of the local population in the remote localities of the state.
Means to maintain continuity between health providers and seekers were deliberated upon wherein the services of health providers could be readily available as and when required.
This gave birth to the idea of training local educated girls from the remote villages and to use the services of this trained core group of manpower to percolate down to the society from which they come.
Volunteers were sought from the remote villages for this maiden venture of Red Shield Division in the month of May 2009.Fifteen girl volunteers aged between 15 to 27 years and with educational qualification ranging from class XIIth to undergraduate were selected from villages in and around Leimakhong.
A fifteen weeks course was structured to provide them the requisite knowledge and skills in First Aid and Maternal & Child Health.
Training of girls under "Health Angels Initiative" was inaugurated on 25 May 2009 at 357 Field Hospital.
Meanwhile, 15 health angels are undergoing training Under Red Shield medicals.
The girls have undergone rigorous training with theoretical classes imparted at 357 Field Hospital and practical 'on the job' training classes at 183 Military Hospital under the direct supervision of Armed Forces Medical Officers and Specialists.
The main thrust of the initiative, besides first aid is care of the pregnant mother & newborn and safe home delivery.
Towards this end, they have been given necessary exposure to TBA (Trained Birth Attendant) training at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.
The trainees were provided with free stationeries, training materials, aprons, transportation, besides meals and snacks.
On termination of the training, during the convocation ceremony all the fifteen trainees would be handed over requisite certificates and medical Kit consisting of patient examination equipments and materials as well as basic medicines.
The total cost incurred in training the girls would work out to over Rupees Five lakhs where the major expenditure would be towards equipping them with the Medical Kit.
After initiation of the Health Angels into the noble profession and launching them into the society, it is hoped that these Messiahs of Health, aptly named "Health Angels" would bring succor to the suffering masses in their society with compassion, dedication and devotion.