The India Health and Climate Resilience Fellowship (IHCRF) is an initiative started by the Blockchain for Impact (BFI) in association with partner organizations like PHIA (Partnering Hope Into Action) Foundation and C-NES. The India Health and Climate Resilience Fellowship (IHCRF) empowers healthcare actors to design and implement human-centric solutions for primary healthcare challenges. The fellowship programme encourages innovation and continuous learning to create a responsive and resilient public health system.

The fellowship aims to create a learning layer at the district level consisting of a pair of fellows trained in Human Centric Design (HCD) with a background in social work and public health respectively, to understand and identify health and climate resilience related challenges in the community.

In the Dhubri district of Assam the IHCR fellowship programme is being done in partnership with C-NES and PHIA Foundation where IHCRF Fellows Anup Sharma and Nimisha Bhuyan will focus on the health ecosystem in the district with special focus on the char areas (sandbars) to identify  pressing problems that affect the health outcomes for communities in the region. In the next two and half years the two IHCRF fellows will continuously engage with the entire ecosystem and different stakeholders including the communities in the district. They are expected to work following the principles of HCD and are expected to come up with innovative solution to address the problems and challenges they identify that will empower healthcare service providers and care seekers to build resilience in their daily lives and prepare for future health crises.

A new Boat Clinic health outreach programme for Darrang district in middle Assam was launched on July 26^th 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 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 administration 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

 “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. 

A team from UNICEF India led by David Mutherardu, Chief Supply. visited the Bongaigaon Boat Clinic on 4^th September 2024. UNICEF India procures supplies and services within the United Nations system in India. These procurements broadly impact children, encompassing their environment, health, education, protection, and inclusion. This visit to Bongaiagon district in Assam was to see immunization and other routine services being delivered as also the working of the  solar-powered devices  The visitors attended a routine camp being held at Satsabigha Char, where a large number of beneficiaries were present for health check-ups, immunizations, ANC  and NCD services. A health awareness meeting was also arranged. The visitors expressed appreciation for the dedicated services rendered by the boat clinic team to far flung island dwellers. The Chief Supply’s comment on the Visitors Book follows-  “Very impressive initiative face-lifting vaccine delivery  including other health interventions. Good Work! Keep it up”.

A team from BBC India comprising of journalist Siraj Ali and camera person Bimal visited the Boat Clinic, Tinsukia, from  26^th to  28^th of August 2024  to observe and document the operation of the Boat Clinic,  the clinic’s role in improving healthcare access in underserved areas, the challenges it faces and the impact it has on the local population. Medical emergencies in the absence of permanent infrastructures and the day-to-day challenges the Boat Clinic team faced   while delivering the services were also touched upon .

The remote island villages of Laika-Pamua and Phasidiya, situated inside Dibru-Saikhowa National Park bordered by the Siang and Dibang River in the north were the target villages. Guijan Ghat situated in Guijan with docking facilities serves as the entry point to the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and to the villages of Laika-Pamua and Phasidiya

The first camp was held at  Pamua village where the  team had to shift to a smaller boat  due to the low water level.  The visiting team interacted and interviewed beneficiaries interviewedas also the health team about delivering outreach service.

A flooded Dibrugarh town, a glimpse from the Joint Director Health’s office on 1^st July 2024.This prominent tea town of upper Assam was from where C-NES started its first boat clinic service way back in 2005.

The Morigaon Boat Clinic team on way to conduct health camp through flooded villages. 13^th July 2024.

Special camp for flood affected areas held at Chaprapara II & III under Mukalmua BPHC of Nalbari District by the district Boat Clinic unit on July 11, 2024.

Post flood health camps at various affected areas under various BPHCS in Dibrugarh by the district Boat Clinic unit on July 11, 2024.

Flood Relief Camp at Bogoriguri on 1st July by Dhemaji Boat Clinic.

A flood relief health and awareness camp conducted by the Boat Clinic Barpeta Unit Iat Lakhipur on 12^th July, 2024.

Special ANC drive bythe  Dibrugarh Boat Clinic under Lahowal BPHC at Ramsingh and Sherawali island villages on 8 th August 2024.

Bongaigaon boat clinic conducting post flood health camps, with awareness on diarrhea and other post flood health issues on17^th July, 2024

Barpeta Boat Clinic I conducting a health camp for primary school children at West Aduri on 19^th September 2024.

Health camps with special ANC drive at island village Bhekeli I and IIby the Majuli Boat Clinic on 8^th August 2024

Health Camp at Bhekeli 2 by Boat Clinic Majuli

To mark World Population Month, the Bongaiagon boat clinic conducted a special program on July 29, 2024, at the Hokoduba and Kheluapara island villages under Boitamari Block.

The program focused on family planning and reproductive health, offering IUCD and Antara contraceptive vaccinations to local residents. A total of 26 beneficiaries adopted these family planning methods and were subsequently felicitated for their commitment.

Post-vaccination, all beneficiaries received comprehensive counseling to ensure proper understanding and usage of the contraceptives.

World Population Day, observed annually on July 11th, was established by the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. Its aim is to raise awareness about global population issues and their implications for the environment and development. The day was first celebrated in 1990 in over 90 countries.

A special ANC drive by the Dhemaji Boat Clinic at Nalbari island village on 14^th August 2024

A routine immunization camp at Aunibari,Under Naoboicha block.on  July 12^th by the Lakhimpur Boat Clinic

An infant being vaccinated at Tintikia Chuburi by Sonitpur Boat Clinic. 14th July 2024

A health camp with ANC drive at Sewrapothar and Jahanara ghola villages conducted by Barpeta boat clinic unit 2 on 22^nd September 2024

Investigation into a JE positive case at Nitmari Char under Laharighat BPHC by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme(IDSP) and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme Team Team(NVBDCP), Morigaon with joint co-ordination of the Morigaon Boat Clinic.

Brahmaputra Community Radio Station 90.4FM (BCRS), popularly known as “Radio Brahmaputra” is the first grassroots’ community radio station in entire north-east India which started its formal broadcast from July, 2015. UNICEF supported C-NES to launch the station in 2009 and is still continuing to support the station through various project related activities.

A two-day orientation workshop on Community Radio functioning and radio production for peer leaders from tea gardens by Radio Brahmaputra in collaboration with ABITA on September 11,2024. This workshop empowers local voices and strengthens communication within the community

An awareness discussion at Maizan Teabagisa Adarsha Vidyalaya under the TB Free Tea Garden (TB Free Tea Garden) campaign organized by Brahmaputra Foundation for Social Research and Livelihood Practice and Brahmaputra Radio supported by Oil India Limited on September 25^th , 2024.

Send your feedback, questiosn to: Bhaswati Goswami – co.pmu@c-nes.org