Key Issues in the Health Work

  • The slum population has poor access to quality healthcare. In fact majority of them are served by non-allopathic doctors practicing allopathic medicine. These doctors are attracting patients by over-utilization of, injections, IV fluid and antibiotics which may be unnecessary or even harmful.
  • The medicines are sold with a huge profit margin up to 300%.
  • In Gujarat, about 30% male students of grade 8-10 and 4% female students of grade 8-10 use some form of tobacco. In Mujmahuda slum 45% adult males and 22% of females use tobacco (mostly chewing) or alcohol. Tobacco use is responsible for 51% of all cancers in males and 17% in females. It was shocking to learn that Gutka (chewing tobacco) use may start in the elementary school.
  • In Mujmahuda slum there are about four illegal shops for alcohol. Alcohol drinking is common in males, which is linked with job loss, domestic violence, premature heart attack, liver failure, suicide, etc.
  • There is low awareness for the locally available nutritious foods. In fact there is an increasing trend towards fast foods. In Mujmahuda slum three out of four parents give an average of Rs 10 for pocket expense to their children, which they use to buy junk foods. Consumption of such tasty junk food also reduces intake of home cooked food. In Gujarat 45% children under age 5 are underweight, and 80% are anemic.
  • Most common causes of illness include infections such as malaria (the polluted Vishvamitri River is next to the slum), traumatic injury, dog bite, skin fungal infection, viral cold, etc. The other causes include muscular pain from labor job and foot skin allergy due to house-maid work involving manual cloth and vessel cleaning in wet areas. Dental caries is also highly prevalent due to lack of oral hygiene.
New School Building and Classes 2013-14

Filthy surrounding, poor housing facilities and poor hygiene in the slum

  • Lack of personal hygiene.
  • Slum dwellers are illiterate with strong faith in local healers and blind faith, e.g. to wash away jaundice, observing Dashma Vrat to solve all problems, Shitala Satam to protect from varicella viral infection, stool worm infection due to sweets consumption, wearing copper armlet to treat hypertension.
  • Most of slum dwellers are daily wagers, they cannot afford to lose daily wage so they request injections or IV bottle treatment for quick recovery.

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