| |
Aranayadoot
April 1-15, 2004
SHIS launches new hospital in Sonakhali, Basanti
It was a memorable day on Thursday, the 11th March 2004,
in the history of Sunderbans when a Seva Kendra was inaugurated
at Basanti in the remote area of Sunderbans in South 24
Parganas district of West Bengal. It was SHIS who has
reacted on the request and need of the people from Sunderbans
delta who had dreamt for a hospital in Basanti. M.A. Wohab,
Director SHIS did not hesitate to respond to the need
of the people and went all out to establish a hospital
with indoor and out |
 |
door treatment facilities and complete
pathological center. A building housing all the
facilities and an ambulance was set up in a record time
and was inaugurated by the great social worker and divine
personality Brother Gaston Dayanand in presence of Mr.
George N Sibley, the US Consul General in Kolkata, on
Thursday, the 11th March, 2004. Thousands of villagers
including distinguished personalities from all walk of
life witnessed the historic event. Brother Gaston called
upon the females to work shoulder to shoulder with the
male folks and the workers of SHIS to enable the Seva
Kendra function smoothly. He had elaborated the role of
the females without whose active participation, the society
can not be complete. He recollected from his memory of
two decades ago when he visited the area for a relief
work after a disastrous storm and dreamt of a Seva Kendra
in Basanti. He also elucidated the term social work as
Seva and love for the poor ones. US
Consul George N Sibley was overwhelmed seeing the response
and enthusiasm of the poor people in Basanti. He seemed
tireless after a day long hectic program and long drive
to Basanti to witness the inauguration of the Seva Kendra
at Basanti. He cited a line from Tagore's poem "Aamra
Sabai Raja" and added to it saying "Aamra Sabai
Rani". He said that the people of Basanti and surrounding
villages of Sunderbans especially the poor women can now
boast of having a Health Center at the initiative of SHIS. In
his speech, MA Wohab, the Director of SHIS expressed his
desire to set up a maternity center. He assured the people
of a devoted service from him and the team mates of SHIS.
He thanks Brother Gaston for showing the torch to him
for serving the poor ones. He thanked Mr. Sibley for sparing
his valuable time for a day long visit to SHIS Headquarters
in Bhangar and the Seva Kendra at Basanti. The
people's representatives of Basanti urged upon SHIS for
setting up a college for higher education and a technical
college for the poor ones of Basanti and its surrounding
villages. Ms. Sabitri Pal, President SHIS assured them
for initiating appropriate action on the matter. During
the morning, Brother Gaston and Mr. Sibley visited Headquarters
of SHIS at Bhangar. They joined the morning prayer and
went round the departments of SHIS and had first hand
experience of different centers that include the TB treatment,
Diagnostic Center, Eye Care Center, Sanitary Mart, the
Arsenic Removal Laboratory, Sishu Bikash Kendra, Women
Self Help Group and the Mobile Health Care Center. Mr.
Sibley gave away two loans to the needy mothers and went
through the activities in details. The
day started early in the morning and ended with the program
at Basanti. Distinguished guests spent the whole day with
relentless initiative and for that Wohab and his team
mates offer their gratitude and seek blessings of God
and participation of all to cherish the goal of Wohab
of treating at least one in one lakh in the community. |
---------------------------------------------
Bharuddin,
veteran journalist
April
10, 2004
Standing
in the line of Death - Baharuddin Just like the tiger or the
crocodile another man-eater of the Sunderbans area is tuberculosis.
Two decades ago, the situation was even worse. On average
out of 100 TB victims, 100 succumbed and died of TB without
appropriate medicines, treatment, or as a result of wrong
advice from untrained local doctors. This serious situation
has since improved and now 97% of patients treated appropriately
are cured. Nowadays tuberculosis does not have to result in
death. Instead, TB patients are beginning to understand that
they can fight TB and survive with the help of economic rehabilitation
programs that set a good example in a developing country like
India. All over India particularly in the rural remote belt,
TB is the main cause of death. There, one person dies from
TB every minute and 1 out of every 5 people suffers from the
disease. The exception to this is the Sunderbans. The two
people who have made this exception possible, who have saved
the lives of around 40,000 underprivileged patients, have
formed an organization known as the Southern Health Improvement
Samity (SHIS). Both individuals may differ in their religion
or philosophy, but their aim is one and the same. One is known
as Mr. Abdul Wohab, the other as Ms Sabitri Pal.
Through
intellectualism, work ethics and through caring for the underprivileged,
they compliment each other's aim. They said, Bengal has been
cornered and its heritage has stopped its motion. I am not
saying to go through history, just go to Bhangar and see the
activities of these two people. You will understand that gloom
does not benefit anyone, but good moral values overcome gloom.
The
way in which Mr. Subrata Roy of Sahara, Mr. Mustak Hossain
of the Pataka Group, Mohammed Unus of the Gramin Bank, the
economist Amarta Sen, the language-lover Mr. Ashoke Dasgupta,
the poets Sankha Ghosh and Sunil Ganguly and Samsur Rahaman
all work towards their own destination, just as the two people
from Bhangar work in a similar fashion.
By
the rivers and in the forests of the Sunderbans, in the tea
gardens of North Bengal and in the unhealthy slums of Kolkata,
you will find the kind services of Abdul Wohab. The people
with whom he works, he stays within them. In front of a farmer,
he becomes a farmer, in front of a labourer, he becomes a
labourer, in front of a boat driver he is a boat driver. He
believes that if you have to change society, you have to stay
with the poor in their homes understanding the language they
speak and feeling their pain and sorrow. This is the primary
condition of the social services. With this instinct, in the
60's and 70's, he worked sometimes with the Bengal Congress
Party, with the CPI (M), with the R.S.P. and with the Naxalites.
The narrow language of politics, the give-and-take policies,
created many questions in his mind. Very tough family conditions
on the one side, the darkness of illiteracy and spreading
of TB, on the other, have created in him an internal melancholy,
which are his strength, his force and his power towards the
truth.
Mr.Wohab
was born in a remote village called Padmapukur in South 24
Parganas. His father was a primary school teacher, a father
with 7 sons and 3 daughters. He lost his mother at of 2 years
of age, so grew up in the care of his choto ma and elder sister-in-law.
He had to travel 7 kms through mud to attend Madhabpur junior
high school, got food once a day, then changed schools to
Bhangar at class 7 and completed his matriculation in 1967.
He joined Dum Dum Motijhil College; attended classes sometimes
by walking sometimes by cycling. There, he came in close contact
with politics and became a strong opposition of the Congress
party. The principal at Champa Hati College Mr. Debiprosad
Mollik got attach of fire in Wohab's mind and took him in
his own college and made the necessary arrangements so that
he could continue his studies there. He passed his B.A. from
this college. In 1974 Mr. Subrato Mukherjee, the Panchayet
Minister sent him to Kalyani for training and on completing
this, Wohab became employed as a Panchayet Secretary in Amraguri
village, Howrah District. In 1981 he transferred to Bhangar,
which is his area of politics. His movement, his rise and
his introduction to politics, all happened at Bhangar. There
he started working in social services. In those days to him,
politics and social services were complementary. Towards the
end of his school years, the food movement touched him and
he met Mr. Humayan Kabir and Mr. Profulla Ghosh. At that time,
as he was a good speaker, he had a lot of opportunities to
speak at student meetings. But the individualistic approach
of Humayan, Profulla reflected in him from that movement.
His teacher Mrinal Kanti Bhattachariya who is a communist
supplied him with many books on Marxist philosophy and introduced
him to Mr. Promod Dasgupta. After studying these books, Wohab
realized that most local communists are good people. They
stay away from the people for whom they struggle. His unrest
with this thought made him move away from the communist party.
Even once in the presence of a communist leader the late Mt.
Saroj Mukherjee, he started debating with Mr. Promode Dasgupta
on the acceptance of realism. Mr. Dasgupta didn't become angry,
but tried to explain him that there is no death this philosophy
of communism. Next came Mt. Makhan Pal from whom he received
lessons on socialism but he failed to get his answers from
him. Then he joined the Naxalites movement between 1971-72.
Bhangar
was the area of activities of Wohab. Biri-roller, rickshaw-puller
and agriculture labourers are his friends and co-workers for
his confidential work. They were infected with many diseases
particularly with tuberculosis. Wohab took up the responsibility
of looking after these patients. There were neither medicines
nor doctors in the nearby hospital. He made stretchers out
of bamboo and took them to Kolkata sometimes in the mornings,
sometimes in the afternoons or even sometimes at night. Some
of them died on the way. He witnessed many deaths in this
way, as he and his co-workers were unable to keep many patients
alive. Despite these difficult circumstances, he mentally
prepared himself and in the end, an amazing organizer and
undefeated fighter was born.
Bengal
became flooded in 1978. People who live nearby had their dreams
shattered with the ever-rising waters. Both human and animal
bodies floated here and there. People were living on railway
lines, on the high roads and even in trees. Wohab was very
tense and tried to provide them with some relief. The new
administration of the left-front Government and political
workers irrespective of colour were all extending their hands
to help. One day, Wohab saw what appeared to him to be a foreigner
swimming in the floodwaters reaching those stranded in schools,
on roads and in trees etc. providing these people with food
and medicines. Wohab was surprised to see a foreigner struggling
to help in such a way. Wohab did not then know whom this person
was or where he was staying, but he immediately became overwhelmed
by his dedication and fight to help. Later, he came to know
him as Gaston Dayanand from Switzerland. Wohab shared with
him his thoughts on politics, his relation with the Naxalites
and all his confusion and sorrow over the unnecessary deaths
of so many TB victims in Bhangar. The words touched the volunteer
and Brother Gaston gave him two words of advice. First he
suggested that Wohab go back to Bhangar and share the sorrow
with his brothers and sisters and the second, to keep away
from the corruption of politics but instead to provide hope
to those patients on the brink of death. These words gave
Wohab renewed hope and he returned as Brother Gaston had suggested
to Bhangar. He decided to leave politics where parties seemed
to be failing in order to stay beside people for whom he was
working. Now the struggle is in the mind, to provide communication
for people, to provide constructive literacy to people, to
make them more aware of health and hygiene, to make them aware
of their rights. This should be ideal politics, which do not
conflict with social work, but rather complimented it, above
the colours of politics, but more so about customs, above
religion.
After
returning to Bhangar, Wohab started preparations to develop
the Seva Kendra. However, lack of money and human resources
were his main constraint. Most of the people in Bhangar were
illiterate and were not even receiving adequate food or clothing.
Many were addicted to drugs and alcohol. Many of them were
also suffering from TB with little or no chance of treatment
only death. Wohab tried to find a place where he could work.
There were also many businessmen from Bhangar. Some of these
were wealthy. They offered sympathy, but were not willing
to offer a place where he might be able to start his work.
However, Mr.Atiur Rahaman, a kind soul from Bhangar who owned
a small tea stall offered a small roofless room close to the
bazaar for Wohab to work. Sabitri a daughter of a conservative
well-off family was practically not doing anything after the
completion of her Pharmaceutics degree. Wohab had known her
for long time and also knew that she was sincerely working
with patients and often visiting Kolkata's medical college.
The two of them met at the small tea stall and shared their
ideas about starting an organisation. That day, Wohab only
had 2 rupees in his pocket, which they used to buy an exercise
book and so, the organisation was born. They were undecided
about the name and about its members or where they would work.
They were not even sure where the money would come from. They
started collecting 50 paise and 1 rupee coins from friends
and acquaintances. Many people responded favourably and a
few doctors even came forward to offer their help. They collected
samples from different pharmaceutical companies and also received
medicines from Howrah Seva Sangha Samity. This meant the start
of treatment for TB patients in Bhangar and nearby villages.
They started visiting homes to collect patients and motivate
them in receiving treatment. Gradually, the number of patients
increased, with a few doctors providing voluntary services.
By this time, Wohab moved to Bhangar and started further developing
the organisation. In 1983, SHIS was registered with the Government
as a charity and its name along with the Bhangar area became
known in remote areas of the Sunderbans. The situation started
improving for the organisation and between 1980-86, SHIS staff
had successfully treated around 3,000 TB patients with death
rate drastically reduced to 5.97%. From 1987 onwards, the
number of patients receiving treatment began increasing rapidly
and by January of the following year, the numbers rose to
433, then by February 693 and by March 1,300 patients were
registered with SHIS.
SHIS has expanded its work in the last 2 decades to incorporate
hundreds of villages. From only 2 members in 1980, today more
than 700 workers and volunteers work dedicatedly in implementing
the multi-faceted activities of SHIS. Every day more than
2,500 patients come to the different SHIS clinics not only
in the Sunderbans but also from different districts within
West Bengal. The question to be asked here is, what attracts
people to SHIS?
After
visiting the centre many times, it is understood in terms
of: -
(1) The professionalism of its doctors & health workers
(2) Free or reduced-cost treatment
(3) Prompt treatment facilities
(4) Immediate diagnosis and post-treatment rehabilitation
(5) An alarming success rate of 97%
(6) Good ambulance facilities
(7) Hospital facilities even in remote, inaccessible areas
via the use of mobile boats
(8) Since SHIS' success, the State Government has handed over
their 7 TB units each with a population of 5 lacs (500,000)
people. This means that SHIS is responsibility for the treatment
of 35 lacs patients which is an example throughout India,
(9) Up to the present date, SHIS has cured more than 40,000
TB patients,
(10) The fight against TB covers an area comprising of a population
of 1 crore (10,000,000)
(11) 4 mobile boat hospitals equipped with X-ray and pathological
facilities with doctors and health workers
(12) Economic transparency and independent fund-building capacities
(13) Its own laboratory and production unit containing herbal
medicines, the cultivation of herbal medicinal plants through
women's co-operatives
(14) Strict discipline within the hospital campus an uncommon
feature in Government hospitals or even in rural or private
health clinics
(15) Above all the peacefulness and sincerity in Mr. Wohab
the director. With only the organizing capacity, the money
and with economic transparency, this big world of service
could not have been made apparent. It could have only been
made possible by his open nature of mixing with patients,
treating workers like family members and his humble attitude
towards life. All these characteristics have made SHIS a unique
centre for the treatment of TB.
Mr.
Wohab is the sort of person that stays next door to Kolkata.
The recognition and the honour, which he deserves, he is yet
to receive from the Government. He is yet to receive any kind
of reward or even award. But he is not bothered by recognition;
there is no reason for him to be. The person for whom the
sky is the limit, the common people are his associates, the
dying patients are his dearest; in the face of it all, rewards
really don't matter at all. He has the love and affection
from the dying patients, the destitute and from those with
numerous disabilities. I am really proud to acknowledge that
there are still people like Wohab who have good work ethics,
a kind heart and a tremendous amount of love to offer. For
these, we are thankful. Even the dacoits salute his name as
he has rehabilitated hundreds of dacoits back towards a more
honest life. Many drug addicts have given up their life of
drugs through his healing touch and many divorced women have
regained their livelihood from him. Wohab is a saint in their
eyes. SHIS is providing mobile healthcare services throughout
300 villages in the Sunderbans. The people there, pray in
the name of Wohab.
The
poor women who have between them, managed to save 3 crore
rupees through the micro-credit system enterprise development,
and the destitute children who are now getting modern education
free-of-cost, have understood that God does not stay in the
sky, nor in the waters, nor in heaven, not in the forests,
but he stays in Wohab's heart. Maybe in the future, these
women of 24 Parganas will say, "SHIS is our safeguard". Only
because of SHIS Self-Help Group's, are they now independent
and running their own lives. The students of the closed tea
gardens of North Bengal, who have received kerosene oil in
order for them to be able to study at night, realize that
there are people still willing to help others. SHIS will provide
food to the hundreds of children in the closed tea gardens.
SHIS is providing healthcare services to the jungle inhabitants
of North Bengal. The people of the tea gardens and the forests
of North Bengal can now expect services. Wohab with his team
has visited these areas many times.
The
person from whom so many people have expectations, of whom
so many people dream, whom so many people love, it is difficult
to tie down such a person. Rewards and awards mean nothing
to him. What the seas get from the ocean, what the rivers
get from the sea, what the hills get from the mountains, all
these rewards are possible from Wohab. But maybe before
that like Md. Unus, Amarta, Satyajit, the West may come to
appreciate and express their gratitude towards Wohab on our
behalf.
---------------------------------------------
Aajkal
04th February, 2004
THOSE
WHO HAVE HOSPITAL AT SUNDERBAN ARE NOW RENDERING HEALTH CARE
AT SHUT DOWN TEA GARDEN OF NORTH BENGAL.
In
five-closed tea garden of North Bengal, Southern Health Improvement
Samity of South 24 Parganas has stood beside the affected
workers and their family members. For the last one-month in
the five closed Tea Gardens of Jalpaiguri District Chinchula,
Gangutia, Raimatang, Rahimabad and Kathalgudi this NGO along
with the help of Local Administration is providing food to
the children of the affected workers. According to the Director
of SHIS, Mr. M.A. Wohab said that Sunderban Development Ministers
Mr. Kanti Ganguli had introduced them to the Local Administration.
Due to this no adverse condition was faced in order to provide
the said health services. For the next four months we will
supply food to the children of these tea gardens. For this
the estimated budget in Rs. 30 Lakhs. Till now about 1300
children have been enlisted. Along with this, health service
is also rendered. In the five shut down Tea Gardens, eighteen
health camps have started and Medical Officers of SHIS are
treating the sick workers and their family members, medicines
are also provided to them. Four more similar camps will shortly
start. Due to absence of electricity in these five tea gardens,
hundred of Secondary and Higher Secondary Examinees are facing
severe problems. For the 362 Examinees whose future is under
darkness, ray of light is provided in the form of distribution
of kerosene oil. It is said that this will go on till the
Exams are over. He said that emphasis is given to health services,
because people of these five shut down Tea Gardens are not
only dying of starvation but are also dying of different diseases,
this was said by the Chief Ministers of West Bengal Mr. Buddhadev
Bhattacharya, so we have decided to increase the number of
clinics and camps. Two permanent clinics were started at Chillapata
and Rashikbill of Coochbehar District, we have also provided
Ambulance. In the jungles of Rajabhatkhaowa, our Medical Officers
are running clinics from the Hospital of Forest Department,
all these clinics will continue.
Mr. Wohab has informed that in the Dooares area infringing
the forest, to build the health services the Local Administration
has helped but the financial help from Famous Author Dominique
Lapaire and German Doctors Committee is highly commendable.
Mr. Wohab informed about the pathetic condition of the workers
of Tea Gardens nearer to the forests, he said that a lot of
homeless people are spending nights on treetops in the midst
of fear of wild animals. The State Government is fighting
with its resources and we with our meager resources will stand
by the side of the Local Administration and the people. It
is important to high light that the organization SHIS, started
by Mr. Abdul Wohab and his close associate Ms. Sabitri Pal
were responsible for curing 40 thousand T.B. Patients by providing
free medicine to them. They have mobile boat clinics for riverine
areas and their medical team runs to villages on land.
---------------------------------------------
Hindustan Times
Sunday, December 02, 2001
NGO
helpline for ex-dacoits - Tapan Das, Kolkata, December
01
A
batch of at least 10 former dacoits will be rehabilitated
tomorrow, thanks to the efforts of Southern Health Improvement
Samity (SHIS), an NGO of Bhangar in South 24 Parganas. In
July this year, 20 criminals returned to the social mainstream,
vowing never to take up their old profession again……. SHIS
President Ms. Sabitri Pal said that 10 former dacoits were
definitely motivated by the success of the first batch, all
of whom are now gainfully employed. But the painstaking efforts
of the Samity's patrons and volunteers, in convincing the
former dacoits to make a clean break with their past, was
also significant - she added………
---------------------------------------------
Aajkal
Evening edition December 01, 2001
Murderers and dacoits are returning to the mainstream - Ansu Chakraborty
The
defected ones who wanted to come back to the main stream of
the society got the opportunity because of the effort of Southern
Health Improvement Samity….. 20 such criminals surrendered
themselves at the initiative of SHIS who has shouldered the
responsibility for their self help programme and livelihood.
They will be deployed in their own profession from where the
defected because of socio economic environment. It was indeed
a novel effort of SHIS in persuading these people and bringing
back them to the main stream of the society…….
---------------------------------------------
Bangadarpan
1-15 October, 2001
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
SHIS is serving well - Protyus Mokhpadhyaya
The remote villages of Sundarbans where the state government
failed to reach proper health services, SHIS - Southern Health
Improvement Samity could reach there with their voluntary
aid and services towards health care and community development…….
Without any hesitation, this was announced in his speech by
the State Minister of Health, Government of West Bengal, Sri
Protyus Mukhopadhyay at a function in Bhangar when a World
Health Organization Publication "Microscope - a Practical
Guide" was translated in Bengali and published by SHIS was
inaugurated for the less educated villagers of West Bengal……..
---------------------------------------------
Aranayadoot
August 1-7, 2001
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
Sabitri Pal awarded - own staff reporter
Recently, on behalf of Sundarbans Seva Niketan, Sunderbans
Seva Puroskar was awarded to Sabitri Pal, the president of
Southern Health Improvement Samity for her service before
self and dedication for the service to mankind in Sundarbans
since 1970. The award was presented to her by Parliamentarian
Sanat Kumar Mondal…….
---------------------------------------------
The
Statesman
Sunday, 22 November, 1998
When so few do so much - Pradeep K Mridha
Bhangar
Hospital is South 24 Parganas is an exception. Because unlike
other rural hospitals, it has an up-to-date set-up and a branch
of dedicated doctors, volunteers, nurses. And the inspiration
behind it is none other than Brother Gaston, Stefan Kovalsky,
the main character of City of Joy. While most of the rural
hospitals offer a sorry picture, perpetually short of doctors,
medicines and scope of pathological tests, the Bhangar hospital
run by Southern Health Improvement Samity stand out as an
exception. Generous help from corporate sector and foreign
humanitarians, including Dominique Lapierre, have made this
possible. ….. It is not just a TB clinic, where the day breaks
with prayers of love and devotion. It is a sanatorium; where
for nearly two decades a sustained combat has been carried
on to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in this backward
region…….
---------------------------------------------
Susasthya
January 01, 1998
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
SHIS
at Sundarbans - Saradindu Mukhopadhyay
It is said that God takes the load of the disciple. It has
come true. The ministers of the red writers building can feel
relieved as SHIS does their job at the remote villages of
Sundarbans for the treatment, health and sanitation which
was their primary duties………. The different programmes so far
SHIS has so far achieved are:
Drinking water Project : 195 tube well in 52 villages
Adult Woman education : 1850 women in 63 centers from
26 villages
Primary Education Programme for Girl Child : 6100 children
in 31 Schools from 31 villages.....
---------------------------------------------
Footpath
November 28, 1997
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
SHIS is shouldering responsibility for treatment in Pathorprotima - Staff Reporter South 24 Parganas
Another
Boat dispensary was inaugurated at Ramganga Jetty of Pathorprotima
block under the clinic programme of SHIS. The dispensary was
made under financial assistance of MEMISA of Netherlands and
was named as "Jeevantori". Distinguished personalities from
India and abroad were present on the occasion……… Wohab in
his speech said that, with this boat dispensary, people from
the marooned villages of Pathorprotima would not get regular
treatment of SHIS…..
---------------------------------------------
Bhangar
Sangbad
Year 2, Volume 10, 19-30 November, 1997
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
Wohab honoured with national award - own staff reporter,
Bhangar
Md.
Wohab, the Director Southern Health Improvement Samity was
adjudged as best Health worker for mankind. By VHAI. He was
awarded at a function in Bangalore on 2nd October where President
Sabitri Pal was also present. Graduated in Philosophy, Education
and Law, Wohab dedicated himself for mankind and SHIS was
his brainchild that started functioning in 1980 with only
2 0 rupees in hand…….
---------------------------------------------
The
Eastern Age
November 4, 1997
Lapierre plans to save city of joy from malaria - Ranit
Mukherjee
Dominique
took part in the yearly Milan Mela - a get together of present
and former tuberculosis patients of Sundarbans, at Bhangar
organized by SHIS. He expressed his agony for rapid spreading
of malaria and patients of remote and marooned villages. ……
………….He also inaugurated the floating boat dispensary at Basanti
which cost USD100,000, donated by Holland based Merison Group
on its 100th anniversary in 1996. He said that the aid was
a drop in the ocean. He urged SHIS to utilize the floating
boat dispensary for the true reason and Wohab, Director SHIS
assured him before.......
-------------------------------------------------------
Kalantar
November 04, 1997
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
Lapierre assures financial help for development of Sundarbans - Debasish Karmakar
Tuberculosis
is not a fatal disease. It can be cured and prevented - said
Dominique Lapierre, the great French Author at a function
in Bhangar where SHIS organized a function for the people
of Sundarbans. He said that he has he has funded 7 NGOs in
West Bengal from the royalty of his book "City of Joy". He
intends to fund more from the royalty of his recently published
book "A Thousand Suns". SHIS is one such organization which
will get legitimate share of this contribution because of
its activities and record in the past......
---------------------------------------------
The
Statesman
Calcutta Tuesday 4 November 1997
Let Mother Film Row end : Lappierre
(Statesman News Service)
Bhangar Nov 3 - Dominique lapierre wants to burry the controversy
surrounding his film on Mother Teresa. "In made the best
film I could, but taking up the controversy will not serve
the memory of Mother" - he said here today. He said that
the French economy is in crisis with unemployment raging at
12 percent and most other European countries are not much
better off. Such situations do not favour the flow of donations
from these countries to Indian charities, he said. "But
my wife and I will do everything possible to continue our
support" he said. The author said that he does not have
adequate funds to do something for child labourers. He said
that he wants to build a home in the city for poor children
robed off their childhood because of poverty. The children
in this rural areas have not read Lapierre's book - "The
City of Joy" - but the author's income from the book
saved their lives, curing them of Tuberculosis.
So,
today thousands of poor villagers and their relatives turned
up to express their gratitude to the author at the Southern
Health Improvement Samity. The author has donated Rs. 20 crore
from the royalty of his magnum opus over the past fifteen
years to SHIS, a voluntary organization serving 1500 villages
in and around Suderbans. SHIS has cured 18,000 TB patients.
The
focus of SHIS is on eradicating TB from these villages. About
90 percent of the patients reporting at the SHIS dispensary
had been cured, said MA Wohab, Director of the organization.......
---------------------------------------------
Kalam
December 19, 1996
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
Beyond South - now at North : SHIS opened new center at
Haroa
(own reporter December 01)
Southern
Health Improvement Samity (SHIS opened their 5th clinic at
Haroa at Piyara, the birthplace of great soul Dr. Muhammed
Sahidullah. The center was inaugurated by Sacchu Mian, an
elderly local village man and a TB patient by himself. Among
the distinguished personalities present on this auspicious
eve were, Brother Gaston Dayanand, and Dr. J Kacker, Mrs,
Hacker, Dr. N Ackarman, Dr. Med, Peter Welling - all from
Germans Doctors Committee and Mrs. Andrina from Australia
and other local political leaders and social workers……. …..Brother
Gaston in his distinct Bengali speech said to all that "…we
are not Hindus or Muslims or Christians - we are representative
of mankind. Why cannot we do something for the poor men? On
the first day itself, number of patients (old and new) exceeded
300…..
---------------------------------------------
Anubhav
Fighting Tuberculosis : It is more than giving drugs
Southern Health Improvement Samity (SHIS) was founded by Md.
Wohab and Sabitri Pal. The main source of inspiration and
help came from Brother Gaston, the central figure of Dominique
Lapierre's book "City of Joy", a social worker with a rich
and long experience in setting up paramedical health facilities.
Today SHIS have clinics with all facilities on the islands
of Sarberia, Goasaba and Basanti. Patients from far and also
from other districts of West Bengal come to SHIS for treatment.
…… ….SHIS plans to start a boat clinic from 1997 for patients
residing in more remote islands of Sundarbans. Community development
is another scheme, SHIS has recently launched for self help
programs of the patients being treated and cured……..
--------------------------------------------------
Sonar
Bangla
September 22, 1995
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
500
students are given text books free of cost by SHIS - Sukumar
Debnath
SHIS
has taken up a scheme where 500 school children of 5th standard,
selected from 11 schools of 30 villages in Block No. 1 of
Bhangar, are being given their Text books. Copy books , paper
and pens free of charge. Wohab, the Director of SHIS and Sabitri,
the President informed that from next year student from 5th
to Xth standard will be brought in the scheme, regularly.
This is a part of education for the poor children of the Sundarbans
villages……. …….400 tube wells will be set up every year where
more than 2 lakh villagers will be benefited said Wohab. Women
of 30 villages will be brought under Self help program. But
the task is not very easy. Huge fund is required to implement
this. People have been coming forward with aid. Of course,
aid from abroad is the major one without which SHIS could
not cherish its dream of standing by people of Sundarbans.....
---------------------------------------------
The
Telegraph
Calcutta, Friday 10 March 1995
Author
comes 'home' after a year to find it a better place.
City Devoid of Joy : Lapierre
(from Soumya Bhattacharya)
Bhangar
(South 24 Parganas) March 9 : Dominique Lapierre's beloved
Calcutta is gradually ceasing to be a city of joy. Joy, as
Lapierre sees it, is the Calcutta's inherent ability to triumph
in the face of of overwhelming odds. But with globalization
setting in, he find that living in Calcutta is getting less
adroit. Inaugurating the annual get together of members of
Southern health Improvement Samity (SHIS) here today, Lapierre
in a checked shirt, whose lower buttons had come undone hanging
over his jeans and shred of marigold petals clinging to his
thinning hair, which lay pastered across his forehead. said
that arriving in Calcutta he thought "the pilot has landed
at the wrong airport". Things have changed a lot in Calcutta,
he remarked. "There are no more power cuts. The telephones
work. Even Pilakhana is no ,longer the same. But with the
odds vanishing, the motivation to triumph despite them is
on the wane too. The endurance and resilience peculiar to
this city that made people celebrate life amidst adversity"
he said, is also on the way out.
The
courtyard on which the makeshift stage for the function had
been erected was teeming with people from early this morning
to SHIS premises. Hundreds jostled for a view of the best-selling
French author on adjoining verandahs and rooftop. Children
with "We love you Dominique", placards, cheerfully
lined either side of the narrow road of this little village.
More festoon fluttered in the breeze. As Lapierre along with
his wife, Sabitri pal and Wohab, and an encourage in tow,
entered, marigold flowers came down in the abundant shower.
Lapierre
seemed visibly moved as he accepted the warm welcome. For
Lapierre, who is convinced that he was a rickshaw puller in
his previous life and wants to be reborn as one in the next,
this is familiar territory. It feels like coming home, he
smiled referring to this visit a year.
An author who has championed the cause of deprived in Calcutta
so fervently for so long, Lapierre had a touching message
for the people of the city. "Vous n'etes plus seuls".
he spontaneously said immediately translating into English
: "You are no longer alone".
---------------------------------------------
Bartaman
June 05, 1993 (excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
SHIS
is working within the villagers - Luftunnisa
Females are no less than males in any profession - SHIS proved
that in the villages of Sundarbans. We reached SHIS to ascertain
that and spoke to Sabitri Debi. Sabitri says that she was
a village girl and brought up in village environment. I always
thought if I could do something for villagers, especially
in treating the TB patients and upliftment of girl child and
adult woman. She said that it was a difficult task for persuading
patients for treat at SHIS clinic. Gradually people started
coming as they saw people are getting cured. …… …..The woman
of the villages are mostly illiterate and can not have their
earning. Parents could not afford to provide even basic education
to the girl child. It was even thought that girls need not
be educated. But the days have now changed. With the effort
of SHIS few model villages have been selected. Classes are
conducted for self help program to enable the mothers be self
sufficient. It was of course not a east task. Tremendous opposition
was faced while executing this. Yet, today few hundred village
women have by now become self sufficient…..
---------------------------------------------
Protidin
October 10,1993
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
The
name of the Village Kathalia - Purnendu Patri
The
house which is full of grain, people their starve for food.
A great saying was proved when we visited Kathalia. Sunderbans
has enormous potency in agriculture, forestry and fishery.
Yet the people are starving for food. Ministers visit regularly
and assure people of improvement. But alas nothing happened
so far - lamented the villagers…….. ….Here SHIS - Southern
Health Improvement Samity started its work voluntarily with
the tremendous initiative of Wohab and Sabitri. At their initiative,
volunteers and doctors were inspired and local patients of
around Bhangar and from remote and distant villages like Haroa,
Rajarhat, Barasat, Basirhat, Deganga, Hasnabad, Sandeshkhali,
Minakhan, Canning, Basanti, Gosaba, Soanrpur are having regular
treatment at the SHIS clinic……..
----------------------------------------
Overland
April 21, 1992
Tapas Kumar Sarkar
(excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
If the initiative is novel, success is must. People of 587 villages
under 10 Police Stations of North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal are witness. From
a small teas shop in 1980, a young
man, Md. Wohab started his battle against TB in Sundarbans
area in association with another
devoted and talented lady Sabitri Pal. Today SHIS can claim
of achieving certain level of success
in TB control and eradication program. Who has not been associated
with SHIS seeing this novel and stupendous task ? Dominique,
the French author, Brother Gaston. Presently 2512 TB patients
from
2512 remote villages get the opportunity to get regular treatment
at SHIS.
…….seeing
the need and the severity of crisis, SHIS has opened another
3 centers, apart from
Bhangar, at Basanti, Gosaba and Sarberia villages of Sundarbans.
……sanitation
and pure drinking is the another priority SHIS felt as the
villagers were deprived of
this basic human need that caused Cholera and gastoenterotitis
like diseases. SHIS has installed
200 sanitary latrines and 10 tube well by now as a part of
the program……..
----------------------------------------
Anandabazar
Patrika
March
04, 1991 (excerpt translated from Bengali to English)
It was one Sunday at Bhangar, a TB patient named Siddiqui
Sardar of Pairagacha village sitting before
the X-ray machine and replying the questions of Dominique
Lapierre, the great French author
who wrote "City of Joy" Saradar is by now almost cured of
Tuberculosis and gone back to his profession
of tailoring. He was narrating his experience to Dominique
Dada (popularly knows as this name to the
villagers) how SHIS team has treated and cured him almost
free of charge. Dominique visited SHIS in
1987 and planted a small sapling inside the Medical Center
of SHIS. Today it has grown a plant and
Dominique could not defy the cry of need and still in SHIS
to visit every year and stand by SHIS in
terms of providing finance and support……
The
Week
June 21-27, 1987
One man's effort in the backward Sundarbans area
Until a few years ago, if anyone in the neighbourhood of Bhangar
village contracted tuberculosis,
a common malady in the Sundarbans, the only thing to do was
to pray for a quick death…….
The
situation is no longer the same. A patient can get cured of
tuberculosis now by spending just
one rupee. No medical miracle has occurred at Bhangar. There
is no godman doing out miracle cures.
Or perhaps there is one, Mohammed Abdul Wohab is God's man
to the thousand of villages around
Bhangar. So are the two doctors, the kindly woman Sabitri
Pal and the other volunteers at the
Sundarban Health Improvement Samity (SHIS) at Bhangar. …….
Between
1980 and 1986, the center has treated 3000 TB patients. Percentage
of cure was 17.17
and that of death 5.97. On each working day an average of
1000 patients are treated at the center…..
|
