Preventive health care plays a crucial role in improving the well-being of the rural population in the Sundarbans, a remote and ecologically sensitive region of West Bengal. The people here often face multiple challenges such as poverty, limited access to healthcare facilities, poor transportation, and vulnerability to frequent natural disasters like cyclones and floods. These challenges increase the risk of disease outbreaks and hinder timely medical intervention.
In such a setting, preventive health care becomes essential to reduce the burden of illness. Maternal and child health services, nutrition awareness, hygiene education, sugar & pressure screening and sanitation initiatives can significantly lower the incidence of common diseases like malaria, dengue, diarrhoea, respiratory infections, and malnutrition. Awareness drives on hand washing, clean drinking water, and the use of toilets are also key in controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
Moreover, preventive health care reduces the dependency on curative services, which are often hard to access in the Sundarbans. It empowers communities to take control of their health through education and early action.
To empower the community in the Sundarban locality training of community health workers and involving local self-help groups in health promotion activities can further strengthen the reach of preventive care. It can help to achieve better health outcomes and improved well-being by addressing health awareness gaps, promoting access to quality healthcare services, and leveraging local resources for preventive and curative healthcare interventions. Our community health workers meticulously selected from Mukti’s self-help group through interviews and written test, undergoes regular training on health by various resource persons and Non-Governmental bodies and they play vital roles on improving access to healthcare by organizing several medical camps, linkages with Government health programs, promoting healthy behaviours through various health awareness and screening programs.
In conclusion, strengthening preventive health care in the Sundarbans is not just a medical necessity but a sustainable approach to ensuring a healthier future for its rural population. It improves quality of life, reduces healthcare costs, and builds resilience against health emergencies in this vulnerable region.
…Sonamon Basu, Program Manager – Health, MUKTI