THE STORY BEGINS HERE…….
It was decided a year back to have a Tribal Program of AACCI in Tribal belt of Chhattisgarh but due to Covid and other unavoidable circumstances it was not possible.
This time we planned to organize such a program in the most remotest Tribal belt of Aundhi in the newly formed Tribal district Mohla Manpur Chowki almost 200 kms from Rajnandgaon District Headquarters of Chhattisgarh state. The venue was Aundhi near the border of Maharashtra.
It is not that easy to organize any health camp in Tribal areas unless you have some attractions for them. So we involved an eye specialist from a charitable eye hospital Udayachal with their mobile van attached with all the instruments to examine, an ENT specialist with all his instruments and mobile TV, a dentist with mobile dental chair and 5 gram panchayats including some officials like CEO Panchayat.
According to planning our team went a few days before to organize this Tribal camp in a big hall, a big ground, 3 consultation rooms, 1 registration counter, 2 exhibition areas for nutrition and ready to eat edibles etc.
It was raining cats and dogs 2 days prior to this venture but the date and preparations were already fixed. Therefore, we had finally decided to do it at any cost. Our team of 15 people started at 7 AM in a trembling cold in the mobile bus and 3 cars. The way was bumpy, unpleasant and really inaccessible. Unfortunately, the shortcut for the venue was surrounded by the Anti-Govt. movement and Naxalites in a village on our way to Aundhi. In Spite of our request that we are going for a humanitarian service, the agitators did not allow us to pass through. Therefore we had to choose another long route to reach Aundhi through Maharashtra. I am enclosing the photos of the road and the river through which we reached the venue with great difficulty. Anyway, there was great enthusiasm and hope among us.
We reached the venue at 12.30 PM and we were amazed to see around 300 people waiting for us since 9 AM. All the registrations for different departments were already done, all the posters and flexes were hanged, the exhibition was nicely organized and a lecture for the audience on cleanliness was going on.
We started our program immediately after lamp lighting and pooja with all formalities of the dias and program. I started my presentation on Nutrition first explaining right from birth to Adolescents about the values of growth and development and told them that Nutrition is available in the food which they possess with them. The second talk was on Adolescent girl where I presented their problems and solutions. It was a parenting program also where I explained to them How to deal with Adolescents regarding their upbringing and career. It was well taken and a good interaction was done with Adolescents and their parents. Meanwhile, the medical examinations were continued.
We honoured good parents to inspire the others. We presented nutritious food packets to mothers , pregnant women and children. This was sponsored by a social worker and a sarpanch but all under the banner of AACCI.
After examining each person present there including 60 severely malnourished children, 2 congenital cataracts, 3 ear drum perforations and many dental caries patients, We finished this successful and satisfying Tribal health program at 6.30 PM and reached our destination at 11 PM traveling through dense forests and difficult route.
This is the report of the Tribal health program of AACCI in a remote Tribal belt of Chhattisgarh in short.
