Orientation meet for New Staff

An orientation meet was organized by C-NES on 9 March, 2009 at Guwahati for the new team of doctors and district community organizers joining C-NES’ Boat Clinic Program which has been up scaled to include 5 more districts- North Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Nalbari and Barpeta from January 2009 taking the total districts to ten. C-NES’ Advisory Council Member and Editor, Asom Bani, Dilip Chandan, and NRHM’s State Programme Manager, Preety Rajbonshi and State Facilitator, Dr Joydeep Das were present on the occasion as resource persons.

After an introductory session, the Managing Trustee, Sanjoy Hazarika’s message to the new members was read out. Mr Hazarika was unable to be present owing to his wife’s indisposition. A minute’s silence was observed to pray for her speedy recovery.

The Program Manager, Boat Clinic Project, Ashok Rao welcomed the new members to the organization and said that this meet was to give them an insight into C-NES. Sanjay Sharma, Associate Programme Manager, spoke about the Boat Clinics phenomenal growth from a single boat and five members in 2005 to five boats and over 100 people now. He added that due to its participatory approach and good methodology, organizations of international repute have been approaching C-NES for partnership.

Noted journalist Dilip Chandan, speaking on the occasion said that C-NES through its Boat Clinic Project has become a “symbol of hope” for the marginalized in society and that consistency in performance has become almost synonymous with the organization today.

Giving an overview of NRHM’s activities, Preety Rajbongshi said that by developing “pro people partnerships” with organizations like C-NES, NRHM has succeeded in its mission of health benefits reaching out to the marginalized in society. Speaking on the relevant topic of “maternal and child health”, Dr Joydeep Das, State Facilitator, NRHM emphasized the role of the district community organizers in motivating pregnant women to visit the health camps for their ante natal and post natal check ups in order to bring down the MMR (maternal mortality rate) and IMR (infant mortality rate) in the char /sapories.

There were presentations on “Health for all” by Ashok Rao, on “Boat Clinics” by Sanjay Sharma and on “Conservation and Livelihoods” by Manik Boruah, Assistant Programme Manager. The new community organizers shared their action plan for the districts. The Communications Officer, Bhaswati Goswami delivered the vote of thanks at the meeting where she also highlighted the importance of timely and accurate reporting of the health camps.