With the pandemic challenges nearly behind us, 2022 is shaping up to be a year of significant milestones for Share & Care’s Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program (H2U). Never before has H2U been able to partner with so many enthusiast NGOs, working together to deliver amazing results, provide extremely effective uses of donations, and serve so many grateful beneficiaries. In 2021, H2U engaged in more projects than ever, and even more are in the pipeline for 2022. Read on to learn more about all of the excellent work being done to improve healthcare quality and access in India.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention in Gujarat
Partnering with Rajkot Cancer Society in Gujarat, H2U has embarked upon a three-year project to provide early breast and cervical cancer diagnoses, provide HPV vaccinations, and offer educational resources for women about their health. HPV vaccinations have been shown to protect against HPV-associated diseases, including some cervical cancers.
In 2021, the project was responsible for:
- Providing 1,400 mammograms,
- Performing 1,200 PAP screenings,
- Administering 1,000 HPV vaccines, and
- Hosting online education sessions for 120,000 young women.
In the first three months of 2022, the project has already:
- Provide more than 100 mammograms,
- Performed 100 PAP screenings,
- Administered 290 HPV vaccines, and
- Hosted 22 online education sessions.
Additionally, in 2021, H2U worked with KCPF to provide 1,462 young women with HPV vaccinations through their schools, as well as provide funding for women to receive mammograms and PAP screenings to detect and provide intervention for breast and cervical cancer.
Improving Health and Welfare in the Desert of Rajasthan
H2U has engaged in a project that has improved maternal and neonatal outcomes for 600 women through prenatal care camps, training for village health workers, and educating women on health, nutrition, and mental health issues. The project has also created better links to government health services for these villages. Additionally, camps were hosted for adolescents to address health, hygiene, and physical changes.
To improve the nutritional health of these villages, the project installed more than 50 arid horticultural units to grow fruits and vegetables. Funds were also provided through Covid disaster relief to supply masks, hygiene kits, meal kits, and other necessary items.
Anemia Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Awareness in Gujarat
Anemia, caused by low iron in blood, affects more than 70% of women and children in India, causing weakness, lethargy, and fatigue with no ambition. H2U has been engaged in a project for the past two years to provide screening, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness education for anemia. The project provides services to more than 600 villages in tribal areas of Gujarat. Treatment includes screening, anti-worm medications, and iron, B-12, and folic acid supplements, for only $1 per person. In 2020, more than 30,000 people benefitted from this project, but in 2021, that number increased to 45,000 beneficiaries.
Special Neonatal Care Unit in Four Tribal Blocks of Bharuch and Narmada Districts in Gujarat
The three greatest causes of infant mortality are premature birth, premature complication during delivery, and infection during the first week following birth. The Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) project aims to reduce infant mortality rates among those with premature, low birth weights. Following delivery, follow-up care is provided by trained supervisors, including nutrition, immunization, and awareness interventions and follow-ups until the child is at least two years old. This project benefited 25% of 5,500 deliveries per year, and in 2021, the project reduced premature infant mortality in the service areas by 80% — a remarkable accomplishment. For the two years Share & Care has funded the project, more than 3,000 have benefited from its services.
Mental Health and Life Skills Education Empowers Tribal Adolescents in Gujarat
This project helps adolescents in rural and tribal areas by providing education on mental health, life skills, menstrual hygiene, and empowerment, as well as need-based counseling. This ongoing project aims to reach 15,000 adolescents from 40 schools and 100 villages, and includes 100 peer educators, 200 trained health workers, 100 teachers and 200 Anganwadi workers. Additionally, by creating and strengthening the leadership skills of peer educators, a new team of adolescent frontline workers will be continually created, so they may continue on as teachers, ASHAs, and Anganwadi workers sustaining the project long-term.
Managing Post-Pandemic Mental Healthcare in Maharashtra
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a large detrimental effect on the mental health of many. Necessary public health actions, such as isolation and social distancing, can worsen loneliness and depression, and the social stigma of mental health issues adds to the scope of the problem. To combat these issues, the project has hosted awareness trainings and webinars to help attendees identify stressors, recognize emotional distress, develop healthy coping skills, and learn self-regulation skills. These workshops aim to create self-aware students, parents, and teachers to develop communities with the knowledge of and respect for mental health.
Thus far, 68 webinars have been hosted, reaching more than 3,200 people. An additional 232 webinars are planned, with approximately 100 geared toward students and an additional 100 geared toward teachers. These workshops are expected to reach more than 15,000 participants.
Saving Life at Birth in Maharashtra
This project offers comprehensive community health programs for mothers and children in 25 villages in Nanded. The project includes a traditional birth attendant (Dai) and community organizer in each village, as well as a health educator and supervisory technical staff that provide support to field staff. Its focus includes family planning, neonatal and maternal health, immunization, low-cost nutrition and food preparation, and hydration to consistently improve health outcomes, and aims to create a sustainable program to train a member of each household as a voluntary health worker.
Mobile Health Clinic in Tamil Nadu
This mobile healthcare project provides a well-equipped medical van and nurses who provide basic healthcare to remote areas in Tamil Nadu, covering 28 villages. Since November 2021, 1,792 beneficiaries received primary care and over-the-counter medications. Furthermore, the outreach program reached 21 villages and provided neonatal and maternal care for 120 women.
Pregnancy and Maternal Care for Landless Labor Community in Tamil Nadu
This project provides preventative and curative care, focused on maternal and newborn healthcare. The project takes on beneficiaries from the confirmation of pregnancy and for two years thereafter, working to ensure a stress-free pregnancy, health delivery, and proper milestone development in the babies. Support includes prenatal care and post-delivery support, with issues of maternal malnutrition, anemia, pediatric HIV infection, and low birth weight being the most common care interventions needed. The program followed 100 mothers and their children for two years and all participants are healthy and doing well! Through its continued work, the project aims to significantly reduce or eliminate infant and maternal mortality in the area.
Mobile Rural Healthcare in Manipur
This project provides essential healthcare in eight remote villages of Manipur, serving nearly 9,500 beneficiaries. A well-equipped medical van is used to conduct medical clinics each week, providing free preventative treatment and testing, and offering referrals for those who may need further treatment.
If you’ve been inspired by our efforts to provide healthcare access through effective projects like these, we humbly encourage you to make a donation. Your support is truly appreciated.
