User:Ravikantp/SEARCH

SEARCH( Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health) is a Non Government Organization founded in 1985 by Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang.

SEARCH is driven by a vision of Realisation of 'Aarogya-Swaraj'(आरोग्य-स्वराज), i.e. people's health in people's hands, by empowering individuals and communities to take charge of their own health, and thereby, help them achieve freedom from disease as well as dependence.

Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang dreamed of:
 * 1) Developing an institution of community health which provides health care to the local population.
 * 2) Generating knowledge about community health for the global community by way of research.

Over last two decades, SEARCH works as grassroot level community based healthcare organization in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. Started with Women and new born babies health issues, SEARCH gradually expanded its work in areas of alcohol prevention and de-addiction, adolescent education, health education etc.

Shodhgram (शोधग्राम), the head quarter campus of SEARCH is located on Gadchiroli-Dhanora Road, 17 Km from Gadchiroli of Maharashtra Its a campus of size << >> including hospital, a research center and a training center. It also includes residential structures, temples, farms, lakes, gardens. At present, << >> people work at Shodhgram. Pleople with diversified skills and qualifications such as surgeons, doctors, public health graduates, engineers, administrators and various social activist work together relentlessly.

Some of the SEARCHs' contributions so far include:
 * Establishing(1993-95) and Operating tribal friendly hospital since 1995, Providing treatments to around <<<%%%%>>> patients annually.
 * Conducted successful mass movement for alcohol prohibition in Gadchiroli district(1987-93).
 * Published research on community health in Lancet and other Journals.
 * Dr Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang published many books on health related issues.
 * SEARCH is member of 'National Commission on Population', and the 'National Commission on Macro-economics and Health', Govt of India.
 * Started NIRMAN with MKCL in June 2006 as an initiative to sensitize selected youth in Maharashtra to societal problems and to identify and nurture social change makers.

Woman’s health

 * SEARCH trained the Traditional Birth Attendants and village health workers to provide reproductive health care, education to women and referral care for abortion, STDs, and family planning. The studies and advocacy helped initiate the shift in the global population policy in 1994 towards women's reproductive health.


 * Diagnosis and treatment of Gynecological problems in the villages through trained traditional birth attendants.


 * Antenatal care, delivery and neonatal care at home in the villages through trained TBAs supported by village health workers.

<< >>

Child Health

 * Home Based Neonatal Care (HBNC) to mothers and neonates through trained village health workers.


 * Diagnosis and treatment for pneumonia, diarrhea and minor ailments through village health workers and traditional birth attendants for children under 5 years’ age.


 * Pneumonia in Children:

In 1988, SEARCH identified pneumonia as the most frequent cause of death in rural children. It designed and conducted the field trial of ‘community-based management of pneumonia’ program, which reduced pneumonia mortality by 55% and IMR by 25% in a very poor, malnourished population.


 * Newborn health and Survival:

SEARCH gathered evidence about the natural history, morbidity, danger signs, and causes of death among these home-cared neonates. Based on this knowledge, SEARCH designed ‘Home-based Neonatal Care’ (HBNC) and conducted a five-year field trial in 39 villages of Gadchiroli district. The trial revealed that rural mothers and Village Health Workers (VHWs) could be trained to manage most sick neonates at home. This approach reduced the neonatal mortality by 70% and the IMR by 57%.


 * Child Deaths and Human Rights:

SEARCH led the formation of a Child Death Study Group in Maharashtra and completed a two-year study of the true magnitude of child mortality at 14 sites in Maharashtra. SEARCH focused the attention on child death as an issue of human rights violation by publishing evidence (in Marathi) that a large proportion of child deaths in Maharashtra were never recorded and hence the real magnitude was grossly underestimated. The report led to the formation of "Child Death Evaluation Committee" by the Government of Maharashtra under the chairmanship of Dr. Abhay Bang. Two reports of the committee have been prepared and subsequently accepted by the state Government.

Alcohol Prevention and De-addiction
SEARCH collected evidence and led a political movement against alcohol by mobilizing the citizens of the district, 350 NGOs, all political parties, legislators and the intelligentsia of Maharashtra to change the government policy, leading to restricted access to alcohol in Gadchiroli and to empower women throughout Maharashtra to vote to close down an alcohol shop in their locality if they considered that its sales harmed their lives.

SEARCH conducted:
 * Campaigns through the village based volunteers and ex-addict friends of SEARCH
 * De-addiction camps at villages

<< >>

Adolescent Education
Education using a combination of informal and formal education methods. << >>

Tribal Health & Education
Through village level workers of SEARCH and village volunteers, SEARCH works on Disease prevention, economic empowerment, cultural rejuvenation & youth development. << >>

Hospital Services
The ‘Maa Danteshwari Hospital’ has a 20 bed indoor facility with accommodation for relatives in attendance. It is equipped with a Pathology laboratory, X-ray, ECG and Ultrasound, First referral unit (FRU) for neonates, Labor room and an Operation theatre.

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Timeline

 * 1985 SEARCH' registered as a public trust. Choice of Gadchiroli as the area of work.


 * 1986 Moved to Gadchiroli : the head-quarter established in a godown


 * 1986-88 Failed collaborative experiment with the Health Department, Govt. of Maharashtra.


 * 1987-93 Mass movement against alcohol - succeeded in introduction of prohibition in the district in 1993 resulting in 60% reduction in the alcohol consumption (saving worth 120 million rupees annually).


 * 1988 (- continued) Established vital registration system in 100 villages.


 * 1989 Lancet Publication - Community-based study of gynaecological diseases in rural women (1986-87).


 * 1989 (- continued) Developed a program of 'Women's Reproductive Health'.


 * 1990 Lancet Publication - Pneumonia management field trial (1988-90). Neonatal pneumonia managed at home.


 * 1991-93 Construction of Shodhgram - our head-quarters village.cp


 * 1992-97 Studies on reproductive health problems in males (1992-97). Developed an intervention program (1997-2001)


 * 1992-2000 Study of the reproductive health culture of women. Two Marathi books published. State award.


 * 1993-95 Development of tribal friendly hospital.


 * 1994 (- continued) Development of de-addiction program : first institutional, then village based. More than 2000 addicts treated.


 * 1995 (- continued) Adolescent reproductive education programme : institution based, and then village based.


 * 1998 (- continued) Participatory health action program in tribal villages Tribal health assembly, malaria control, and finally income generation.


 * 1999 Lancet Publication - Home-based neonatal care intervention trial (1993-98). Infant Mortality Rate(IMR) reduced to 39.


 * 2000 Epidemiologic transition and emergence of coronary heart disease in India. Life style change approach. An award winner book in Marathi. Followed by series of public lectures in major towns in Maharashtra.

Hidden child mortality in Maharashtra and need for social audit. Concept developed and a multisite study at 13 places (1998-2001). The report published in 2001. Created wide debate in the newspapers and the State Assembly. The Chief Minister accepted the recommendations and announced corrective measures.
 * 2001 Replication at 12 sites in India, and in Nepal, BanglaDesh and Pakistan.


 * 2002 (- continued) Replication of the Home-based Neonatal Care at 7 NGO sites. ANKUR project launched.


 * 2002 (- continued) Developed a training program on Home-based Neonatal care for the Govt. of India and for NGOs in India and abroad.


 * 2003 The State Government conferred the highest award ' Maharashtra Bhushan' on Drs. Abhay and Rani Bang.


 * << >> Training Center established at SEARCH


 * << >> The state Government appointed ' Child Deaths Evaluation Committee' under the chairmanship of Dr. Abhay Bang. Two reports accepted in the State legislature


 * << >> The advocacy on child deaths in Maharashtra resulted in the establishment of 'Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Mission' under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister.


 * 2003 'Aarogya-Swaraj' - A 90 minutes oration given on All India Radio, broadcasted by 26 stations.


 * << >> Members, 'National Commission on Population', and the 'National Commission on Macro-economics and Health', Govt of India.


 * 2005 Publication - A special supplement of the 'Journal of Perinatology' of the American Academy of Pediatrics and "Nature" publications, entirely devoted to the studies on Home-based Neonatal Care in Gadchiroli.


 * 2005 The TIME magazine selected Abhay and Rani Bang as the Global health Heros, and published the story.


 * 2006 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, 2006.

Activities
<< >>

Awards & Accolades

 * National Award for Women's Development through application of Science & Technology, 2008 Conferred on Dr. Rani Bang


 * MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, 2006


 * TIME magazine's 'Heroes of Health', 2005 for their pioneering work in cutting infant mortality rates


 * Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar'(Medical Services), The highest honour from the Govt. of Maharashtra (2003)


 * Sheshadri Gold Medal by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1996


 * Mahatma Gandhi Award (1994) << >>

Many more awards listed here