Bihar is one of the poorest states in India. More than two-thirds of the population there lives in rural areas, primarily from income from agriculture. Most of the people living there are from the lowest caste (Dalit – the “untouchables”), whose precarious socioeconomic situation has been further aggravated by the Covid 19 pandemic.
There is a lack of health infrastructure, especially in rural regions, which makes the living conditions of the local population inhumane. Only very few people in this region have money for medical treatment. Life-saving medical treatment can often bankrupt a family financially.
There is no general health insurance and in many cases there is also a lack of awareness of hygiene and health. In most cases, adequate health care is not affordable for the villagers. Even though certain treatments are free at the public hospital, which is over an hour away, many people from Basadhi village cannot afford the money for transportation to the hospital and the medications they need. Special treatments in particular, such as operations, almost always have to be paid for by the patients themselves.
In order to offer the people in the village of Basadhi primary health care free of charge on a daily basis, the Schöck-Familien-Stiftung supports the organization Sonne-International in the construction of a barrier-free health station in the village. Start of operation is expected to be May 2023.
It will be staffed daily by a qualified nurse to treat emergencies (first aid) directly and on three days by specialists in general medicine, pediatrics and gynecology so that specific target groups can be examined. Pregnant women in particular are to be accompanied over a longer period of time.
If the doctors diagnose an illness during the examinations that requires special treatment by another specialist or in a distant hospital, the treatment is organized by the coordinator of the “Emergency Health Fund” and is also covered financially by the project, because the majority of the villagers cannot afford such (often vital) treatment.
Many diseases could be prevented in advance . Therefore, regular “awareness workshops” on topics such as hygiene, nutrition, menstruation, etc. are held as part of this project, so that more awareness is created within the village community about the causes of diseases and ways to prevent them.
In addition, a water treatment plant will be installed in the health station. The villagers can collect filtered water there free of charge and thus prevent the numerous gastrointestinal diseases.
Project sponsor: SONNE International
Project partner: Buddha Education Foundation
Funding year: since 2022
Project no.: 174-22ro