Launch of Boat Clinic Programme in Darrang District
A new Boat Clinic health outreach programme for Darrang district in middle Assam was launched on July 26th by the Darrang District Administration to provide health care to vulnerable communities on the islands of the district.
The district administration and the Darrang unit of the National Health Mission (NHM) has developed this project in collaboration with the Centre for North-East Studies & Policy Research (C-NES). Funding support came from Glenmark Foundation, Mumbai, The boat clinic staff were given special training by the district NHM. Along with health and district adminstartion officials led by the District Commisioner, Mongoldoi, MN Ngantey, former chief secretary Assam TY Das and former Chief Information Commisioner and C-NES Trustee HS Das, Special Advisor, Dr M K Barooah was present
“With the launch of the Boat Clinic an important gap in the health services has been covered and will of immense help in providing basic health care services in the far-flung areas of the district” said Nayana Parasher DPM, NHM Darrang.DPM, NHM Darrang.
In his speech, Munindra Nath Ngatey, District Commissioner of Darrang, stated the boat clinic launched today will further enhance efforts to extend health services to the district’s remote river islands.The District Commissioner also expressed his appreciation to Glenmark Foundation and C-NES for their support in launching the boat clinic service
C-NES has been providing basic health care services, through specially developed boats equipped with laboratories and pharmacies on board, to communities living on river islands in 14 districts of Assam supported by NHM since 2008. The clinics take sustained health care to lakhs of persons on the islands, with a special focus on women and children, who are the most vulnerable in difficult conditions. On board are fully fledged medical teams (doctors, nurses as well as lab technicians and pharmacists) which conduct regular health camps organized through a network of community health workers and organizers in the district.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited is a research‐led, global pharmaceutical company, having a presence across branded, generics, and OTC segments; with a focus in the therapy areas of Respiratory, Dermatology and Oncology. The company has four research and development centres, ten world‐class manufacturing facilities spread across five continents, and operations in over eighty countries.
Instituted around the theme of ‘Healthier Children, Healthier World’, Glenmark Foundation, the CSR arm of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, is actively working towards improving child health and reducing Infant/Child Mortality
C-NES’ unique boat clinic story began with a single boat, Akha in Dibrugarh district in 2005; it spread to other districts with partnerships first with UNICEF and then with NHM in 2008 to upscale the programme. Today, that idea – ‘Hope Floats’ as a leading magazine wrote – is showcased across India as an example of innovative thinking, inclusive health care and Public Private Partnerships. The clinics currently reach nearly 300,000 persons in 14 districts of Assam. Darrang is the 15th district. The others are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Morigaon, Kamrup, Nalbari, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Goalpara, Dhubri and South Salmara & Mankachar.
“The boat clinics bring health care coverage to the marginalized and are helping to improve the overall health scenario in the state,” said Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika, Founder and Managing Trustee, C-NES.