Thread by @kalaptrust

Happy to share the findings of the first ever household baseline health survey in the upper Tons Valley region of Uttarakhand.

Download: tinyurl.com/KTBHSR

Follow this thread for key findings!

Advisor: @AnantBhan

Support: @tatatrusts

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts What made us begin work in public health in the upper Tons Valley - the plight of the pregnant women here.

Key finding: 85% of the women give birth at home (or in jungles!) without anyone qualified to assist.

A case study of this in the next post.

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts Hear this story of how a woman gave birth to her child on an isolated mountainside. This is everyday life in the himalayan regions of India. This is one story from the 85% more women like her.

More findings and stories tomorrow!

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts If women are delivering unattended, then it is a consequence of... entire pregnancies going without monitoring.

Key finding: A shocking 72% pregnant women in the upper Tons Valley don't get an ANC.

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts As our founder @iyer_higher says: "Our medical team and community workers literally go door to door checking for pregnant women and then do an ANC. Literally there is no awareness that pregnancies need to be monitored. Unattended, women only seek help when there is trouble."

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher What is the consequence of no ANC for pregnant women? Anaemia goes unnoticed.

Key finding: 85% of the pregnant women in the upper Tons Valley don't get a simple haemoglobin test

A case study in the next post

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher Anaemia going unnoticed leads to... Many pregnant women turning up severely anaemic at our hospital (kalaptrust.org/tvchc)

Our medical team often has to conduct emergency interventions in a very resource-poor setting as these women don't have money to reach any hospital.

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher There was no health facility in the upper Tons Valley till we set up kalaptrust.org/tvchc in late '18

So, where did people go for primary care till then?

Key finding: A local pharmacies, treat 78% of the patients when there is no health facility!

Why is it bad? Follows...

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher "Where there is demand, supply catches up. BareIy-licensed pharmacies staffed by some-diploma pharmacist is the healthcare provider for almost 80% of India's rural folks. This is the sad reality everywhere with tragic consequences," @iyer_higher , our founder

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher What are the consequences of going to an unqualified pharmacist for your healthcare? See this case we documented of a 16-year-old who died of anaphylactic shock because the pharmacist didn't diagnose it. A child died due to wasp stings... This is reality.

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @threadreaderapp unroll

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher We did something important in our survey, capture expenditure data on healthcare. Since the majority of the healthcare visits are OPD, how much do people in the upper tons valley spend since there is no govt healthcare there?

Key finding: Rs 30000+ per household :-O

Massive

@AnantBhan @tatatrusts @iyer_higher "Rs 30000+ for OPD is massive for populations that have an annual household income of barely above Rs 1,00,000. This figure stunned us. Essentially lack of healthcare access prevents communities from ever escaping poverty," @iyer_higher , our founder