PHFI Documentary on Boat Clinics
A documentary on C-NES’ unique Boat Clinics is being developed by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), New Delhi. The film is part of a PHFI project supported by the renowned Mac Arthur Foundation under the title, “Developing Case Studies of innovations in Public Health for Competency Strengthening and Advocacy”. The film will be used for advocacy and teaching purposes in PHFI’s Indian Institutes as also other educational institutions for illustrating/promoting scaling -up of innovations in health towards improving maternal and newborn health. Kriti, a New Delhi based NGO in association with Blackticket, is producing the film for PHFI.
A five member team from PHFi and Kriti recently visited Guwahati for filming the activities of Boat Clinics. The team comprised of Radhika Arora, Madhavi Mishra from PHFI and Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh and Mayank Khurana from Kriti and Blackticket. Sanjay Sharma, Associate Programme Manager coordinated with the team on behalf of C-NES whose Boat Clinics at Jorhat and Morigaon were identified for the filming. Interviews for the film got underway at C-NES’ Guwahati Office on 6th of June 2011 where Ashok Rao, Programme Manager and Bhaswati Goswami, Communications Officer answered some of the queries of the team along with introducing C-NES and its work. This was followed by an hour long interview with Dr J B Ekka, Mission Director of NRHM at his official chamber wherein Dr Ekka spoke highly about the boat clinics.
On 7 & 8 June, the Jorhat Boat Clinic activities were covered by the team which started with filming of the villagers and children at the Ulupam ghat, Majuli. The community was asked about the Brahmaputra , its erratic behavior, floods, erosion and the resulting migrations from one island to the other. The team then went to the local school where the health camp was being held. Beneficiaries were interviewed. The awareness camp organized by the two local ASHAs was filmed and the ASHAs interviewed. There were 128 general health checkups, 18 ANCs and 8 RIs conducted in the camp at the end of which the boat returned to Bhekeli sapori where an awareness programme (through LCD screening) was held late evening on the river bank . Around 30 men and women were present for the over three hour show where NRHM spots along with entertainment breaks in between were shown, filmed also by the PHFI team. The Jorhat Boat Clinic team members and Sanjay Sharma, was interviewed during the two days of the shooting.
On 9th June, the team visited the office of the Society for Promotion of School Health at Nagaon (on the recommendation of Dr J B Ekka, MD, NRHM) en route Morigaon. This organization is in a PPP with NRHM on the School Health Programme for Nagaon District under the title “Project Child”. The team learnt about the activities especially about disease screening amongst school children. On 10th June, the team filmed the activities of Morigaon Boat Clinic conducted health camp especially the awareness session, general checkups and routine immunizations. Interviews of the villagers and the health team members were taken. While returning back from the camp the team recorded an Assamese song sung by Md Moidul Islam, laboratory technician, narrating about the Brahmaputra, its islands and the livelihoods of the communities inhabiting them. The “river song” would be used for the film.