Sangeeta is a VV-PACS Correspondent from Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh. Her personal struggles with financial instability haven’t kept her from working for a better quality of life for the people in her village. As a part of the Women’s Group of her village she constantly tries to motivate other women to raise their voices against injustice. She feels that government…

Sangeeta Thakur

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In Padariya village of Raisen Block, Madhya Pradesh, there is a Health Centre was built for a population of 700 people. The community celebrated the inauguration that took place on 20th of September in 2012. Two years later, this same community is now beyond frustration; on almost every occasion they need medical help the doors to the health centre are found locked. VV-PACS Community Correspondent Sangeeta Thakur, reports from the ground uncovering some recent horrors that have unfolded due the lack of medical care. When Arjun's wife went into labour, the health centre was as usual shut. He had to travel to Sulatanganj, the next town for the delivery. After scrounging together some money from friends and family, he had enough to pay the doctor. Technically Arjun should not have had to pay for the delivery at a government health centre. In fact, the family should have received money. Under India's National Maternity Benefit schemes, women from Below Poverty Line families are given money when they go to a hospital for their delivery. This has been done to reduce instances of complications that often arise during home births. (http://nrhm.gov.in/nrhm-components/rmnch-a/maternal-health/janani-suraksha-yojana/background.html) The efforts were all in vain. The family lost their new born daughter soon after due to medical complications. While talking to Sangeeta, people reported that the health centre opens only on the 1st of each month and on days when vaccination camps are held. On other days, community members leave their fate to the powers that be and travel miles to seek medical care. Why should any community have to live like this? Just because they live far from cities, are they to accept that benefits and help wont reach them? What about the doctors and nurses that are probably still getting paid to work at this health centre, is there no conscience there? With the making of this video, 700 residents of Padariya have asked you to be part of the process of the change they need. Don't let them down, pick up the phone this instant. CALL TO ACTION: Appeal to the Chief Medical Officer to appoint a doctor or a nurse at this health centre immediately. Call him on +91 - 8889521882 and help resolve this issue. About the Partnership: The Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme and Video Volunteers have come together to create the Community Correspondents Network. The videos generated by the network will be able to highlight voices from the margins, providing skills to social communicators to provide advocacy tools to community based organisations.