MBCT Socio-Care Updates

Advisor Hassan Mejie reviewing the BP-CCDP at Village Balara

A household community survey activity in 9 villages was started in April 2011 by MBCT medical volunteers (a team of 8 to 10 members) and was completed in the end of May.

The 22 members team consisting of Doctors and Phd. Students from University of Utah along with PGIMER’S SPH. with the support of MBCT and Community partners of 9 villages launched the BP-CCDP on 1st of June, 2011 and carried out the activities till 22nd June, 2011.

The BP-CCDP team at Village Balara

Dr. Jim Vanderslice (U of U) prepared a Database Software for the household surveys carried out by MBCT volunteers which is in progress electronically. The primary data was entered into the database by U of U students with the support of MBCT Volunteers in June 2011.

Visit at Village Bagh Sikander

In 2009, Dr. Steve Alder visited Mehar Baba Charitable Trust and discussed the possibility of carrying out the project.

Informal partnership was developed and was implemented when a team of four members(Dr. Steve Alder, Sharon Talboys, Dr. Benjamin Crookston and Rick Haskins) from University of Utah, U.S.A again visited MBCT in October, 2010. The U of U encouraged and succeeded in building up community of 9 villages as the 4th Partner consisting of population base of approx. 25000 villagers (Key Contact persons in each village were nominated).

A series of community, engagement activities and a survey of one pilot village “DAMHERI” in March, 2010 have resulted in the prioritization of sanitation as the main issue to be tackled by the BP-CCDP. Other areas of interest include water, maternal and child health/nutrition, chronic diseases, and lifestyle issues. Improved sanitation has the potential to positively affect health of the whole village by breaking the fecal-oral transmission of diseases, primarily diarrheal diseases. By reducing diarrhea, it also reduces the consequences of prolonged diarrhea, such as malnutrition, stunting, anemia, and cognitive impairments. These health problems are especially harmful to children and pregnant women. Issues around water and hygiene can be addressed concurrently with the sanitation project. It is also important to improve sanitation for reasons other than health. Community demand is high to improve living conditions and achieve the convenience and dignity of having improved toilet facilities.

Community Engagement: Sanitation was identified as the top priority of the targeted villages through a series of community engagement activities in 2010. MBCT reached out to nine villages based on existing relationships and convenience to begin BP-CCDP activities, including a needs assessment through community engagement. Activities included:

Key Informant/Opinion Leader interviews: Several visits were made by MBCT team to the targeted villages to engage with community leaders, such as the sarpanch, panachyat members, village elders, school teachers, and opinion leaders , young men & Women to gain first-hand knowledge about community needs and characteristics.

Village meetings: One type of meeting was ceremonial in nature, where BP-CCDP members from the Community, PGIMER’s SPH, MBCT and University of Utah, together, met in a village in October, 2010 where all were welcome. These meetings were well attended and included men, women, and in some cases school children. Meeting sizes ranged from 25-100 people. BP-CCDP members were welcomed and a BP-CCDP banner was displayed.

Community forum: In addition to village meetings, a community forum/workshop or Focus Groups was held that targeted village leaders, managers, government workers, community health and social workers, and other dignitaries. Approximately 60 people were in attendance. The full day meeting was held at MBCT’s community development centre in Bassi-Pathana on 14th October, 2010 and included presentations and facilitated discussions led by University of Utah and PGIMER, SPH

Dr. Jim Vanderslice Visiting MBCT