.::Santulan::.


	Innovative Education
	Residential School
	Supplementary Nutrition
	Health & Saftey
	Youth Development
	Women's Empowerment
	Quarry Worker's Organisation
	Community Cooperatives
	Legal Aid & Counselling
	Advocacy for Policy Change
	Achievements So Far
	Future Plans

Activities

Community Health & Safety

The stone quarry/crushing sector is classified under hazardous occupations. Living and working conditions are absolutely 'inhuman'. Children, women and workers are directly exposed to silica dust and accidents. Due to the dusty environment and unsafe drinking water the community regularly experiences sickness. The most common illnesses are severe skin, intestinal and ENT problems with children the most regular victims. Santulan began its micro health care activities by placing First Aid Boxes equipped with basic medicines in each of the Pashan Shala centers, monthly medical check-ups, awareness camps and linkages with government hospitals for follow up. Some of the health activities include:

First Aid Box Facility

The First Aid facility is one of the major requirements in the stone quarry units. Santulan began this experiment in 2001 by placing a First Aid Box with the minimum required medicines in each Pashan Shala center situated in the midst of the worker's colonies. The Pashan Shala Animator is trained to treat visible illnesses and promote awareness on health, hygiene and preventative measures. All Innovative Educational Centers have a First Aid Box with primary health care medicines used for both children and the worker’s community as a whole.

Health Camps & Awareness Meetings
Besides monthly health check-ups of Pashan Shala children several camps have been conducted for workers and women on various health issues, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and silicosis.

Medical Aid
On a regular basis health awareness camps have been conducted on AIDS, alcoholism and superstitious beliefs and practices amongst the workers. Significantly, we have found that the workers are taking better care of their health. Yet there is still a need to work on serious health issues for women, children and works which are related to the stone quarry occupation itself. When visiting stone quarry units, nurses provide health services to workers as well as accompany them to Government Hospitals if needed.